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Aston Villa captain Tyrone Mings is ‘at risk’ of losing his place in the team, transfer insider Dean Jones has told GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

Mings, a Villa mainstay, has started 29 of their 31 Premier League matches so far this season, with only injury or suspension keeping him out of the line-up.

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Villa paid just over £20million to sign him from Bournemouth in the summer of 2019, and he signed a contract extension in September 2020. His £80,000-per-week deal runs until the end of the 2023/24 season.

Mings has faced criticism in recent times, with journalist Zach Lowy insisting in February that he was ‘far too error-prone to be a starter, let alone captain’ and urging Villa ‘to move on from him and upgrade with a new CB this summer’.

Steven Gerrard has said he will pick his ‘long-term’ skipper in the summer and admitted that he could recruit someone from elsewhere to don the armband.

The latest

Jones, speaking to GMS, says Gerrard will be considering Mings’ ‘position in the side’ in light of a succession of errors in recent seasons.

He explained:

“I think his position in the side has to be at risk at this stage,” he said. “He has also made quite a few errors over the past couple of years.”

The verdict

Since Villa were promoted to the Premier League, Mings has made five errors directly leading to an opposition shot and four leading to a goal and given away two penalty kicks (via SofaScore).

And those figures don’t account for more subjective errors.

It seems that Gerrard is determined to strengthen at the heart of his defence, with Football Insider claiming he plans to approach his old club Liverpool over a deal for Joe Gomez.

Gomez, valued at £19.8million by Transfermarkt, is described as his no. 1 target.

His public comments about the captaincy might have been a veiled challenge to Mings, who could be fighting for his spot in these final weeks of the campaign. If he can respond, then perhaps it will be enough to avoid the axe.

In other news, Villa could make this move after Sean Dyche’s sacking.

Many Liverpool fans have reacted to the news that the Reds will face off with Preston North End in the next round of the EFL Cup, and it’s fair to say they are absolutely delighted.

Jurgen Klopp’s side take on the Championship side on the week commencing 25th October following their 3-0 win at Norwich City.

Takumi Minamino scored a double either side of Divock Origi’s first goal of the season, with Christos Tzolis missing the chance to level the scoring in the first half from the penalty spot.

Liverpool have struggled to find success in the Carabao Cup since they reached the final of the competition in 2016, losing on penalties to Manchester City at Wembley.

Part of that however has been down to their unfortunate draws, as the clash with Norwich was their 13th battle against top flight opposition in their last 17 domestic cup ties.

The trip to Deepdale follows the trips to Atletico Madrid and Manchester United, possibly providing a chance for players like Origi and Minamino to impress Klopp again as the Reds boss may be forced to rotate his squad.

Liverpool fans react to cup draw

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to react to the cup draw, which followed Manchester United’s defeat to West Ham United, as one supporter called the news ‘unbelievable’ due to the nature of previous draws.

“Am I dreaming?”

Credit: @empireoflfc

“Wow, finally we’re not playing Prime Barcelona in a cup game.”

Credit: @jasin_Muhaj

“Probably our best cup draw in about 5 years that”

Credit: @MichaelRondel1

“NO WAYY we’ve got an easy draw for once, I can’t believe my eyes”

Credit: @avixxina

“I’ll happily take that”

Credit: @lfc_jdr

“Absolutely unbelievable draw”

Credit: @eddiebrady222

In other news, Liverpool fans have been reacting to a club announcement. Find out more here.

According to a report by L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), West Ham United have now tabled an offer to sign Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma this summer.

The Lowdown: West Ham eyeing Zouma…

As per numerous reliable sources, West Ham have been in talks over signing Zouma for the last three weeks with many twists and turns to the story.

The Irons first entered negotiations back in late July according to Sky Sports as manager David Moyes seeks to strengthen his options in central defence.

When a move for Zouma became unlikely, fellow defensive target Nikola Milenkovic was prioritised, and at one stage, it looked almost certain he would become a West Ham player.

However, now that move has broken down, the Chelsea defender is back on West Ham priority’s list as their primary target – with L’Equipe bringing an update.

The Latest: Irons table offer…

As per the French news source (via Sport Witness), West Ham and GSB have now tabled a bid for the 26-year-old.

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Indeed, it is claimed the Hammers have ‘come forward with an offer’ of around £25 million to sign Zouma this summer, but there is also a suggestion that it didn’t do enough to sway Chelsea or the player himself.

Nevertheless, while personal terms also still haven’t been agreed, there is a belief that the Frenchman would be more tempted by the idea of joining West Ham than Sevilla.

The Verdict: Get it done…

It may be a difficult move to pull off financially judging by this update, but Zouma could well be worth the trouble as manager Moyes looks to seriously reinforce his options.

Only Craig Dawson, Issa Diop and Angelo Ogbonna present themselves as senior options as it stands and the 6 foot 3 powerhouse could add a totally different dimension.

Amassing a 90.9% pass accuracy out from the back last season, far more than any of West Ham’s current defensive crop (WhoScored), he has also been called ‘unbelievable’ by Chelsea legend John Terry.

He started 22 Premier League matches for the Blues last season and even managed five goals in that time, meaning he can also deliver at the other end on occasion.

Zouma would be the perfect defensive addition for West Ham, but with time running out, they will have to move quickly.

In other news: West Ham source: GSB ‘set sights on signing’ 6 foot 3 powerhouse, find out more here.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri produced a superb display at the weekend as Spain thrashed Georgia 4-0 in World Cup qualifying.

The former Atletico Madrid man is likely to be a regular in Pep Guardiola’s side again this season and should Fernandinho depart at the end of the season, his importance for the Citizens will only grow further.

According to WhoScored, the 25-year-old has been City’s best performer in the Premier League so far with an impressive 8.0/10 rating across his two appearances thus far and he continued his fine form with a dominant display for Luis Enrique’s side.

As per SofaScore, the Manchester City man would earn an impressive 7.5/10 rating for his display, with only goalscorers Paulo Sarabia (8.2), Carlos Soler (8.0) and Jose Gaya (7.9) rated higher on the evening.

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During the 90 minutes, Rodri would have 136 touches and completed a remarkable 123/128 passes, resulting in a superb pass accuracy of 96%.

Not only was this the most passes completed of any player on the pitch, but it was also almost as many as the entire starting team of Georgia would manage (147), which emphasises how he completely ran the game.

Rodri also completed eight out of his nine attempted long balls and would win four out of seven of his duels, suggesting that he barely put a foot wrong during his time on the pitch.

Spain and Manchester City are a good match in that they both love to dominate possession and, if Guardiola saw any of the game, he will surely have been delighted with the way his defensive midfielder performed.

Despite dubbing him “incredible” in 2019, the Spanish manager opted to leave Rodri out of the crunch Champions League games last season but if he continues to impress he will surely be considered a big-game player, and considering City’s upcoming fixtures include games against Leicester, Chelsea and Liverpool, it will be interesting to see if the Spain international keeps his starting place.

And, in other news… Man City set for huge boost with “incredibly talented” gem

Liverpool scouts were in attendance at the Estadio da Luz on Wednesday night to witness Darwin Nunez scoring twice as Benfica thrashed Barcelona 3-0 in the Champions League.

The Lowdown: Young, talented goalscorer

The 22-year-old Uruguayan came through the Penarol academy before moving to Almeria in 2019. In his only season in LaLiga2, he scored 16 goals in 30 league appearances as they were defeated 3-1 on aggregate by Girona in the promotion play-offs.

He became Benfica’s most expensive signing in 2020 for £21.6m and has continued his brilliant form with 20 goals in 51 appearances for the Lisbon club.

His performance against Barcelona would have had scouts licking their lips, with the Uruguay international raising his price tag after his Champions League exploits.

The Latest: 35 clubs had scouts in Portugal

The Independent’s senior football correspondent Melissa Reddy confirmed on her Twitter profile that Liverpool scouts were joined by compatriots from the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund at Estadio da Luz.

As per This Is Anfield, as many as 35 clubs had scouts in attendance to witness Benfica compounding a miserable start to the season for crisis-stricken Barcelona.

Nunez, who is valued at £18m by Transfermarkt, scored twice and Rafa Silva also netted in a convincing win for Jorge Jesus’ side to put them second in their Champions League group.

The Verdict: He could be what the Reds need

At only 22, Nunez is destined for great things. Given the extensive list of clubs who sent scouts to watch him play, he looks set to be at one of the best teams in Europe sooner or later. His current boss Jesus has said that he ‘will be a world-class player’ and the Uruguayan is going about proving his manager right.

With both Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane having their critics in recent months, a new breath of fresh air in attack may be exactly what Liverpool need if they are to reclaim the Premier League title.

Aside from the mercurial Mohamed Salah, a consistent goalscorer is something the Reds have perhaps lacked in previous seasons, with Firmino often deployed in a deeper-lying false nine role. The potential signing of Nunez could add that clinical touch if Liverpool were to follow up on what is sure to be a glowing scout report.

In other news, Liverpool fans have been reacting to this contract news. Find out more here.

West Ham United could revisit their interest in Abdallah Sima before the transfer deadline…

What’s the word?

That’s according to the ever-reliable ExWHUemployee, who made the claim in a fresh transfer update to fans on his Patreon site ‘The West Ham Way’ earlier this week, saying:

“We could explore a deal for him [David Zima] and his fellow teammate Abdallah Sima. Not only do the names sound similar but he is also 20.

“Whilst he is a seen, as a winger as well as a forward, it could mean that he is [a] perfect alternative to [Michail] Antonio.

“In January, I spoke to the club chairman via Twitter and he told me that Sima would not leave in January to West Ham but there is a chance he could in the summer… we are in the summer and his team are no longer in the Champions League. We have dealt with the club before so there is a strong chance we will go in for a move.”

Perfect alternative

With a little over two weeks still to go in the transfer market, the Irons are still yet to find that new striker to pair up with Michail Antonio, which is currently a recipe for disaster considering the 31-year-old’s injury problems.

He has started 24 or more league games in only one season since he joined the East London outfit from Nottingham Forest in 2015.

The Hammers could well play more than 50 matches across all competitions this season, having qualified for the Europa League group stage. If Antonio picks up an injury against Newcastle United on Sunday, David Moyes would be in a hopeless situation.

However, the 58-year-old’s recent transfer success in dipping into the Czech league should provide further encouragement as to why a move for Sima makes the world of sense.

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The Senegalese gem enjoyed a breakthrough campaign last season, providing 20 goals and eight assists in 39 appearances. He averaged a direct contribution once every 98 minutes, via Transfermarkt – near enough one every game.

Despite largely playing as a right winger, Sima’s future could lie in the middle, which is why he could indeed be the ideal foil to Antonio, who also started out wide before Moyes’ intervention.

If he’s out injured, then the 20-year-old could take his place up top. If he’s not, and the Hammers boss wants to play both attackers, then there’s still a likely role for him in the squad.

It’s also why he has earned lofty comparisons to Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, who also started his playing career as a winger before becoming one of the Premier League’s best-ever centre-forwards.

Sima has also been lauded as a “huge talent” after he impressed during Slavia Prague’s impressive Europa League showing against Leicester City, against whom he bagged a goal in the second leg of their round of 32 tie in February.

Time is running out, so West Ham really must accelerate their plans to secure a new frontman to bolster Moyes’ squad. Sima would be a fantastic and much-needed addition, whatever the cost.

Just as ExWHUemployee explains, he could be the perfect foil for Antonio at the London Stadium.

AND in other news, ExWHUemployee drops frustrating Nikola Milenkovic update…

Former Scotland manager Alex McLeish has been reacting to rumours of a permanent swoop from Celtic for loanee Jota, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: January move

Jota has proven to be an inspired signing for the Hoops, contributing to 14 goals in his 18 appearances in green and white.

The 22-year-old is currently out due to a hamstring injury, but as reported by Sky Sports, Celtic are expected to trigger their £6.5m option to make his loan permanent.

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The Hoops are set to do just that before the summer, so a January move is a real possibility.

The Latest: McLeish reacts

McLeish, who regularly contributes for BBC Radio 5 Live, was talking to Football Insider regarding the update on Jota.

Here is what he had to say in reply, admitting that he is ‘very surprised’ about a January move for the winger, who he called a ‘game-changer’:

“When he came in at first, I thought work in progress. Probably a work in progress for the Portuguese team to take him back after the loan spell.

“Very surprised that they’re willing to let him go in January, given the form that he’s been in. He really has expressed himself as a very good technical player. He’s taken people on, scored goals, worked hard.

“These are all the traits a manager loves in individual players, especially when he can change the game with his skills. As we say, a game-changer.

“If Celtic can buy him, he’s a very good, young, potentially great player.”

The Verdict: Celtic making their mark

Should Celtic complete a permanent transfer in the region of £6.5m, it would be the most expensive signing of the Ange Postecoglou era, surpassing Kyogo Furuhashi’s £4.86m move over the summer. However, even though it would take a relatively big fee, it could prove to be a steal in the long run.

You’d expect that Jota is still far from his prime at the age of 22, so a long-term deal could see his valuation increase past the £6.5m mark should he continue to impress in Glasgow.

Celtic could reap the rewards with impressive displays on the pitch and eventually go on to make a big profit on the Portuguese attacker when the time is right, in the likely event that wealthier clubs submit a tempting offer.

In other news: Celtic allegedly now looking at signing 34-assist ace in January; he’s his agency’s biggest star

Transfer insider Dean Jones expects Aston Villa to sign either Kalvin Phillips or Yves Bissouma this summer. 

The lowdown

According to The Guardian, Gerrard is keen to add a defensive midfielder to his ranks, as well as a striker.

And The Times recently reported that Villa are ‘leading the race’ to sign Phillips from Leeds United.

They’re apparently willing to break their transfer record with a £60million swoop for the Englishman.

Football Insider, meanwhile, claimed this week that Villa had been in contact with Bissouma’s camp ahead of the transfer window.

They allegedly made a ‘£20million-plus’ bid in January, which was rejected by Brighton.

The latest

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones said Villa could submit bids for both players but will ultimately only sign one of them.

“I think they’ll go for both players, but I only expect them to sign one,” he said. “I’ll be very surprised if they got both of those players through the door.”

The verdict

If Villa were to see bids accepted for both players, who should they prioritise?

Intriguingly, the duo are of somewhat different moulds. Phillips, described as a ‘quarterback’ by Rio Ferdinand, likes to launch long passes from deep, averaging 3.3 a game to Bissouma’s 1.9.

So Villa need to choose a stylistic direction, with Bissouma more of a defensive mind with the fourth-most tackles per game in the division, but there’s also a financial calculation to be made.

If Phillips is to cost as much as £60million, might it be more prudent to pursue Bissouma, who is out of contract in 14 months’ time, putting Brighton in a fairly weak negotiating position.

Signing the Malian could leave Villa with considerably more to spend on the striker position.

In other news, this Villa star is attracting interest from Arsenal.

Sheffield Wednesday’s previous League One match saw them secure a third consecutive draw with a 1-1 result against Lincoln City at Hillsborough.

Their next league outing sees Darren Moore’s side take a trip to face Cheltenham Town on Saturday to try and secure a win rather than another draw or even worse, a defeat.

On the chalkboard

Looking ahead to the weekend, one player that was in the starting XI against Lincoln that we feel should not be in the team to face Cheltenham is 28-year-old centre-forward Saido Berahino.

During the 62 minutes he was on the pitch against Lincoln before being replaced by Theo Corbeanu, Berahino only managed to have one shot at goal, complete just 12 passes of the 19 he attempted, failed to make one accurate cross or long ball, lost possession on 14 occasions and ultimately earn himself a rather uninspiring overall match rating of 6.6, according to SofaScore.

Not only this, but Berahino, who is currently valued at £1.35m according to Transfermarkt, has only managed to score one goal and provide one assist in eight League One appearances, which isn’t the best record at this moment in time.

In addition to this, Berahino, who has been accused of having the “wrong mentality” in the past by former Stoke City teammate Glen Johnson, has only managed to rack up an average of 0.5 shots on target per game in League One so far this season, as well as just 0.6 key passes per game and an average passing accuracy percentage of 69% per game, which suggests to us that he hasn’t been a particularly useful attacking figure for the Owls yet.

Looking ahead to the Cheltenham game, Wednesday would probably have a better chance of securing all three points on Saturday if Moore took Berahino out of the starting XI on this occasion.

In terms of who could replace the striker on Saturday if Moore decides to take him out of the team,  adding Callum Paterson in, who has two goals and one assist under his belt in the league so far this season, could be the way forward for this encounter.

In other news: Moore must now unleash Sheff Weds’ 22 y/o beast who has “great energy”, he needs him – opinion

The London Stadium now well and truly feels like home for West Ham United and the club’s supporters.

It has taken a long time for the atmosphere to boil fiercely at the old Olympic Stadium but with the Irons going deep in Europe, a carnival has arrived in east London.

The win over Sevilla a few weeks ago was nothing short of sensational and as Lyon entered town on Thursday evening, there was vast optimism in the crowd once more.

An extremely controversial red card to Aaron Cresswell threatened to spoil the party but when Jarrod Bowen found the net via a deflection in the second period, it looked as though the Hammers were taking a 1-0 advantage back to France next week.

However, the visitors fought back with Spurs loanee Tanguy Ndombele beating the ‘keeper late in the encounter.

It was an unfortunate goal to concede, specifically for Ben Johnson who was thrown in at the deep end.

The full-back has largely been impressive during his breakthrough campaign in the capital but he was particularly abject for the goal after being substituted on following Cresswell’s red card.

Lyon’s own substitute Tete beat him all ends up down the right flank for their goal, skinning him before delivering a teasing cross that was eventually fired home by Ndombele.

It wasn’t an ideal night for Johnson, who has recently been linked with a move away, but on this evidence, he still has plenty to learn about his game.

During his time on the field, he had fewer touches than goalkeeper Alphonse Areola (18) and only successfully completed one pass in the entire game at a success rate of a meagre 20%.

Lacking in composure with his passing and positioning for the goal, he was arguably the only minor downside to the draw on Thursday evening.

Cresswell will now miss the second leg so Johnson will have to improve considerably if he’s given a role to play in the second leg.

AND in other news, WHU may end up signing “electric” £50m gem this summer, he can finally replace Haller…