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Arsenal only managed a draw against Sporting Lisbon in the first leg of their last-16 Europa League tie last week, and will need a more cohesive performance to clinch victory at the Emirates tonight.

The Premier League table-toppers are five points clear in the top flight, and will be confident that current champions Manchester City can be kept at bay to land the first divisional triumph in almost two decades.

But given the strides taken this season, the outfit will certainly have one eye fixed on advancing to the final of the European competition, with Arsenal yet to lift silverware across their distinguished history on the continental stage.

Drawing in a four-goal affair last time, both sides will know that only victory in 90 minutes will avoid the strenuous stretch of extra time, though manager Mikel Arteta will be bolstered by the knowledge that Sporting have failed to win in any of their past nine away ties against English opposition in European football.

Regardless, the Leões are a dangerous foe, with London rivals Tottenham Hotspur failing to beat them across two attempts in the Champions League group phase earlier this term.

Should Arteta drop Jakub Kiwior vs Sporting?

There is a potential banana skin awaiting Arteta's Gunners, who will indeed need to channel the imperious energy that has coursed from the Emirates so sublimely throughout the campaign.

And as such, £20m January signing from Italian outfit Spezia Jakub Kiwior must be ditched for the knockout fixture, with his performance against Sporting one week ago leaving much to be desired.

As per Sofascore, the Polish titan recorded a lacklustre match rating of 6.1, the lowest of any Arsenal player on the pitch, and failed to make the impact he would have hoped on his debut for the Premier League giants.

Making a detrimental error after confusion with goalkeeper Matt Turner, resulting in centre-back Goncalo Inacio thumping home a header from a corner, Kiwior did not assert the authority or assurance that Arteta will demand as his side chases glory, with the 23-year-old also losing all five of his duels, hardly the iron-clad presence to divert danger.

Dribbled past on one occasion, failing to complete a single tackle, and substituted in the 71st minute, it was definitely one to forget for the budding talent, who remains an exciting prospect but perhaps should not be entrusted with a successive starting berth in the competition with the north London side chasing silverware across multiple fronts.

Branded “rusty and timid” by the Athletic's Dennis Esser, Kiwior might be better suited integrating more softly, perhaps coming off the bench to add a defensive dimension if Arsenal require reinforcements to preserve a lead over their Portuguese opponents.

With so much at stake, instilling a more formidable layer over the central defence would be worthwhile, with Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba the first-choice pairing, Arteta might choose to invest in his preferred formula for European success.

Rangers midfielder Steven Davis has been ‘brilliant for years’ and deserves a new contract, according to pundit Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Injury blow

Davis suffered a season-ending knee injury at the end of December, which cast doubt on whether Rangers would choose to extend his contract beyond the end of the campaign, when is it due to expire.

However, Football Insider reported earlier this month that a new contract is ‘very likely’ to be offered to the midfielder, who would become a player coach, having already started work on obtaining his coaching badges.

The Latest: McAvennie reacts

In an interview with Football Insider, McAvennie has claimed that the Gers should keep the 38-year-old around in some capacity, due to the positive influence he could have on their younger players.

When asked whether Michael Beale should offer him a new contract, the pundit said: “Davis is a player that I would look up to. He has been there, seen it and done it. I do not get why he would not want to keep him around the place in a coaching role.

“Defoe was great for [Alfredo] Morelos, just watching him every day. No matter what people say Davis is a great, he has been brilliant for years. If I was a Rangers players I would want to train with him every day and listen to him. He’s a huge figure for them.”

The Verdict: Worth keeping?

If the Northern Irishman is able to make a full recovery from his knee issue, then he would be a trusty back-up option for Beale in midfield, having made 16 appearances for Rangers in all competitions prior to his injury.

However, given his age, the most important reason to keep him is because he knows the club inside and out, having made a total of 360 appearances across his spells with the Teddy Bears, while he also has 306 Premier League appearances to his name.

This experience is vital to have in any dressing room, and he could have a real impact on some of the club’s younger midfield players, including Malik Tillman, who they have been given the green light to sign permanently in the coming months.

As such, letting Davis’ contract run out would be a mistake on Rangers’ behalf, and Beale should offer him a player-coach role to make sure he stays at Ibrox.

As Newcastle United gear themselves up for Sunday’s Carabao Cup final encounter with Manchester United, one man who will likely be feeling that mix of nerves and excitement more than most is academy graduate, Sean Longstaff, with the North Shields native hoping to help steer his boyhood club to long-awaited glory.

As the 25-year-old has himself admitted, he is simply “living the dream” at present under Magpies boss Eddie Howe, having shaken off a tough spell under former manager Steve Bruce to emerge as a leading figure for the resurgent outfit.

The local lad will almost certainly be handed a starting berth for this weekend’s highly-anticipated meeting at Wembley, with that involvement set to come just under five years on from the midfielder making his senior debut for the club in the competition back in August 2018.

That early impact under Rafa Benitez had seen the towering gem catch the eye of upcoming opponents, Man United, in the summer of 2019, albeit with the Red Devils ultimately walking away from any deal having baulked at the Tynesiders’ reported £50m asking price.

Despite that initial promise, though, the 5 foot 11 machine was subsequently restricted to something of a bit-part role in the years that followed, having never made more than 15 Premier League starts in a single season prior to the beginning of the current campaign.

That lack of action now appears a distant memory for the club’s “unsung hero”, however – as lauded by pundit Tam McManus – with the Englishman having already started 19 league games this season, proving influential in the club’s rampant run of form both in the top-flight and in the cup.

For all the expectancy that Newcastle would simply splash the cash following the change in ownership, it is a testament to the work of Howe that he has more than put his faith in those already at the club, with Longstaff one of the more obvious beneficiaries of the 45-year-old’s appointment.

How much is Longstaff worth?

The playmaker’s rise of late is illustrated by the fact that he is now set to be worth in the region of £16m, according to Football Transfers, with that a rather sizeable sum considering that the £50k-per-week man cost the club nothing to develop him in the youth ranks.

Not that the northeast side will be looking to cash in any time soon, however, with Longstaff currently blossoming in the centre of the park, having scored three goals and provided three assists in 30 games in all competitions this season.

Praised for being “absolutely everywhere” in the midfield by the aforementioned McManus, the one-time Blackpool loanee has showcased his defensive prowess by averaging 1.3 tackles per game in the league this season, while also offering a threat creatively as he laid on five big chances from his 23 top-flight outings.

The relentless gem’s most telling contribution this term, however, came during the semi-final triumph over Southampton last month to help steer his side to the showpiece, having netted twice in the second-leg victory at St James’ Park.

It would no doubt be fitting if Longstaff were to again prove the hero come Sunday, although no matter the outcome of that mouthwatering clash, Newcastle do appear to have struck gold by persisting with the youth product.

Arsenal could return for Moises Caicedo in the summer, after failing to sign him in the January transfer window, Pete O’Rourke has claimed.

What’s the word?

The Gunners had a number of large bids rejected for the Brighton midfielder late in the window, and the Ecuador international expressed his desire to join the league leaders.

However, Brighton remained firm in their stance that he was not for sale, and Mikel Arteta ultimately signed Jorginho from Chelsea instead.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke claimed that Arsenal could return for Caicedo in the summer, as their interest will likely still be alive as they search for a long-term solution in midfield.

“Moises Caicedo, obviously, admitted in a social media post that he would be keen to move on from Brighton and he wanted the opportunity to join a top club like Arsenal or Chelsea,”

“I’m sure Arsenal’s interest will remain and it’s a deal that they will try to rekindle in the summer.”

Caicedo or Rice?

Now that Jorginho has joined, it may be the case that Arsenal only pursues one of Caicedo and Declan Rice, whom they have reportedly made their top target.

Rice is older, and more experienced in the Premier League as well as being a full England international.

Caicedo, whose potential move deal with Arsenal was described as “outrageous” by Lee Hendrie, ranks more favourably for tackling as per FBref, indicating that he may be stronger at pure defending, but Rice ranks higher for passing and clearances, and may also bring a better sense of leadership to the club.

Arteta has brought in some strong personalities with the likes of Oleksander Zinchenko and Martin Odegaard, both of whom captain their national sides, and Rice’s experience as West ham captain may swing Arsenal’s preference towards him.

Wolverhampton Wanderers will be hopeful of ending the transfer window with a bang by adding another one or two new faces to the squad as Julen Lopetegui continues his renovation of the team.

Bringing players such as Mario Lemina, Pablo Sarabia and Matheus Nunes to the club is a key step in the right direction, with the Spaniard aiming to beef out his midfield and attacking options, however, he shouldn’t be forgetting to improve positions that have proven problematic during the campaign.

The right-back area has seen Nelson Semedo struggle so far this campaign, registering a Sofascore rating of 6.67/10 and being susceptible to defensive lapses which have culminated in Wolves conceding 30 goals in the Premier League this term already.

The Old Gold have been linked with a move for Brighton and Hove Albion defender Tariq Lamptey to bolster their options on the right side of their defence, however, having missed 36 games through a variety of injury problems since 2020, the Molineux outfit might be better off signing someone else.

Heerenveen youngster Milan van Ewijk is another defender linked with a switch to Wolves and the Dutchman could be a more reliable option for Lopetegui.

The 22-year-old has played 18 times in the Eredivisie this season, achieving a Sofascore rating of 7.13/10 while showcasing his attacking ability by scoring three goals, creating two big chances and making 0.8 key passes per match.

Despite his age, Van Ewijk is also extremely mature and combines attacking intelligence with defensive ability to great effect, helping his team keep seven clean sheets in 18 matches this term.

He has also made an average of 1.5 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 2.1 clearances per game in the league, while also winning 59% of his duels and the defender even praised himself while discussing his strengths back in 2019.

He said: “I’m a fierce right back who can attack well, but also defend well and I’m in good shape. I can certainly be found in the front. Last season I also gave a number of assists. I’ll show the rest during the matches.”

Another attribute that could stand him in good stead in the Premier League is his speed, with the official Eredivisie Twitter account sharing that the young defender was the fastest player in the top flight before Christmas, with a top speed of 34.66kph and the speedster would work well bombing up and down the right flank under Lopetegui.

A move for the Dutchman could certainly help solve Wolves’ issues on the right side of the defence and with just a few days left of the transfer window, the 56-year-old will need to act fast to secure a deal for Van Ewijk.

Newcastle United are reportedly interested in RC Lens defender, Kevin Danso, with sporting director Dan Ashworth seemingly keen to strengthen the club’s centre-back ranks.

What’s the word?

According to French outlet Jeunes Footeux, the Magpies are said to be ‘actively working’ to improve their squad ahead of next season, with the Austria international one of those who the northeast side are currently tracking.

The report suggests that a switch could potentially occur at the end of the season, albeit with any deal set to cost as much as €40m (£35m), with the 24-year-old’s existing deal with the Ligue 1 outfit set to expire in 2026.

The 11-cap sensation has previous, albeit brief, Premier League experience which may be attractive to the St James’ Park outfit, having spent the 2019/20 season on loan at Southampton.

Bye-bye Lascelles

Although that stint with the Saints proved somewhat underwhelming, as the 6 foot 3 brute only featured ten times across all fronts, the former Augsburg man has since gone on to sparkle after moving to France back in the summer of 2021.

The £8.5k-per-week sensation enjoyed a fine debut campaign last term after averaging 1.2 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game from his 33 appearances, while also proving a real threat going forward after providing four goal contributions in that time.

The one-time MK Dons youth asset has continued that stellar form in the current campaign after playing a vital role in Lens’ remarkable title surge, having kept eight clean sheets in his 17 Ligue 1 starts, while winning 77% of his aerial duels and recording 1.1 tackles and 1.2 interceptions.

The “powerful” titan – as described by Saints journalist Adam Leitch – was notably part of the side that triumphed over Paris Saint-Germain on New Year’s Day, having made a whopping five interceptions and six clearances against the European giants, while also enjoying a 93% pass accuracy rate as a marker of his stunning composure on the ball.

As such, were Ashworth able to bring Danso to Tyneside, the Austrian ace could well prove an ideal upgrade on club captain, Jamaal Lascelles, with the Englishman reportedly one of a handful of Magpies assets who could be allowed to depart this month.

That exit talk has come following the 29-year-old’s slide down the pecking order under manager Eddie Howe, with the long-serving figure having only made seven appearances so far this term, including just four league outings.

The forgotten man has underwhelmed when he has featured in the top flight as he averages just 0.3 tackles and zero interceptions per game this term, having kept only two clean sheets in 26 league games last season after averaging 0.8 tackles and 0.6 interceptions – a record far inferior to that of Danso.

Equally, while the latter man was helping to keep Kylian Mbappe and co at bay a week ago, Lascelles’ latest outing saw the £40k-per-week dud struggle to contend with a Josh Windass-inspired Sheffield Wednesday side, as the League One outfit claimed a shock FA Cup triumph.

That display – which saw the defender endure some ‘tough moments’ according to the Chronicle’s Lee Ryder – has laid bare the need for a fresh face in the backline, with Danso seemingly the upgrade that Newcastle are craving in order to wave farewell to their current skipper.

Leeds United could now turn their attention to Everton defender Mason Holgate after singing Max Wober.

The Lowdown: First arrival

The Whites have been quick to act in the January transfer window, bringing in Wober from RB Salzburg. The Austrian will provide competition at centre-back and left-back in Yorkshire, with Jesse Marsch landing a third player from Salzburg after Rasmus Kristensen and Brenden Aaronson.

Further additions could be on the cards in Yorkshire, though, with the club linked with a number of players, one of which being Holgate.

The Latest: Holgate speculation

Reports last month claimed that the Whites have already made an approach over a move for Holgate, with Everton looking to raise transfer funds.

The Sun then shared a story following Leeds’ swoop for Wober on Tuesday morning, saying the club could now turn their attention to other targets, once again name-checking Holgate. They also brought up a previous in-house update on youngster Mateo Joseph, suggesting he is in line for a fresh Elland Road contract.

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The Verdict: Not needed

Holgate, labelled as “absolutely superb” by Liverpool ECHO reporter Sam Carroll, has plenty of Premier League experience and can play in a number of defensive positions.

However, Leeds look fairly well-stocked at the back now after signing Wober and handing out new deals to Pascal Struijk and Diego Llorente.

Therefore, their priority should be on bringing in an attacker, especially with Patrick Bamford reportedly suffering an injury setback.

Rodrigo is Jesse Marsch’s only fit senior centre-forward option as a result, so someone like Southampton’s Che Adams, who has been linked, could be a better target than Holgate.

Arsenal are interested in a deal to bring Nicolo Zaniolo to The Emirates in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet Radio Radio (via Sport Witness), who claim that, despite Tottenham Hotspur being heavily linked with a move for the AS Roma midfielder over the summer, the Gunners could now steal the 23-year-old from under their north London rival’s nose, with Mikel Arteta considering a bid for the Italy international this winter.

The report goes on to state that an offer in the region of €25m (£22m) should be enough to convince Jose Mourinho’s side to part with the playmaker in January, with Zaniolo’s current deal at the Stadio Olimpico set to expire in the summer of 2024.

“Unreal”

Considering just how much potential Zaniolo undoubtedly possesses, in addition to the fact that central midfield is currently the area of Arteta’s squad that is lacking the most depth, it is not difficult to understand why the Spanish manager would be interested in a deal to bring the 23-year-old to The Emirates this winter.

Indeed, according to FBref, the £22m-rated talent currently ranks in the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s big five leagues for shots per 90, in addition to the top 23% for non-penalty goals, the top 18% for touches in the opposition penalty area and the top 9% for progressive passes received – demonstrating his effectiveness in the final third.

The £76k-per-week playmaker also ranks in the top 15% of forwards in Europe’s big five leagues for xAG – xG which follows a pass that assists a shot – per 90, as well as the top 6% for dribbles completed, the top 31% for progressive passes and the top 13% for shot-creating actions – highlighting just how creative the Italian is in possession of the ball.

Finally, the player who Nick Mercadante dubbed both a “nightmare” and “unreal” also ranks in the top 21% of his positional peers for tackles per 90, in addition to the top 28% for blocks and the top 48% for interceptions – proving just how hard the youngster works in a defensive capacity.

As such, with Zaniolo appearing to be a talent who can do it all in the middle of the park, coupled with the 23-year-old boasting incredibly impressive positional versatility – being able to operate in central and attacking midfield, as well as on either wing and as a centre-forward – it would indeed seem as if the Italian’s signing would be an unreal one for Arteta to get over the line.

Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams is attracting increasing interest ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport, who claim that, as a result of the 23-year-old’s impressive performances at the Qatar World Cup this winter, Inter Milan have now joined Manchester United in taking a vested interest in the midfielder.

However, the report goes on to state that, with Victor Orta having only signed the USMNT captain in a £20m deal this summer, it would not appear as if Inter have a chance of landing the engine ‘anytime soon’, with it taking an ‘indispensable figure’ in order to convince the Whites to part with Adams in January.

Leeds struck gold

While the news that Adams is attracting interest from two European heavyweights in United and Inter may not be overly comforting for the Elland Road faithful, the 23-year-old’s extremely impressive performances and subsequent admiring glances are proof that Leeds well and truly struck gold when bringing the American to the club this summer.

Indeed, Adams has been a defensive rock in the heart of Jesse Marsch’s side over his 13 Premier League appearances in the current campaign, with the £41m-rated talent making an average of 4.0 tackles – the second-most in the league – 1.2 interceptions, 0.8 clearances and winning 5.8 duels – at a success rate of 55% – per game.

The midfielder has also impressed in possession of the ball, creating one big chance for his teammates, in addition to enjoying an average of 72.4 touches, making 1.2 key passes, playing 1.8 long balls and completing 47 total passes – at a success rate of 82% – per match.

These returns have seen the £57k-per-week “engine” – as described by analyst Statman Dave – average an excellent Sofascore match rating of 6.92, currently ranking him as Marsch’s fifth-best performer in the top flight of English football.

However, it has not only been at club level that Adams has been impressing, as the 23-year-old has also been “doing Leeds United proud on the world stage” – in the words of Leeds Live journalist Beren Cross – at the World Cup this winter.

Indeed, over his three appearances in Qatar, the former RB Leipzig ace has been one of America’s star players, making an average of 3.3 tackles – the joint 27th-most in the competition – one interception and winning 6.3 duels – at a success rate of 63% – per game, as well as playing an average of 4.3 long balls and completing 54.7 passes – at a success rate of 89% – per fixture.

These metrics have seen the USA dynamo average a simply sensational Sofascore match rating of 7.07, ranking him as Gregg Berhalter’s fifth-best performer in the tournament, playing a key role in – rather remarkably – helping the USA qualify for the last 16 in the biggest competition in world football.

As such, it is clear for all to see just how talented a player Adams undoubtedly is, with Victor Orta’s £20m signing of the 23-year-old already appearing to have been one of the Spaniard’s best transfer masterclasses at Elland Road.

Journalist David Ornstein has dropped an injury update on Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane following England’s 6-2 victory over Iran in the World Cup. 

The Lowdown: England beat Iran

In their opening group game of the tournament, Gareth Southgate’s side secured a 6-2 victory, with Kane providing two assists.

However, the striker picked up an injury scare following a tackle from Iran’s Morteza Pouraliganji which caught Kane’s ankle. After receiving medical treatment on the pitch, Kane carried on, only to eventually be taken off with 76 minutes on the clock.

After the game had ended, Ornstein took to Twitter to share an injury update regarding the Spurs star and the blow to his ankle.

The Latest: Ornstein’s injury update on Kane

In a Twitter post after the game, Ornstein had this to say on the matter.

“Harry Kane walking through mixed zone with right ankle lightly strapped & slight limp after 48th-min challenge by Pouraliganji. Kane was replaced on 75 mins so one to watch but seems to have escaped serious injury.”

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The Verdict: A big relief

While not totally unscathed, the fact that Ornstein thinks the injury is not a serious one will be a massive relief to England and Spurs supporters.

Having gone into the tournament with 13 goals under his belt across 22 appearances for Tottenham across all competitions this season, it’s safe to say that the 29-year-old will be looking to bring this goalscoring form into the tournament in Qatar and hopefully win the trophy.

Despite not getting on the scoresheet against Iran, his two assists proved how much of a crucial attacking figure he can be for the team.

Moving forward, with England taking on the USA in their next group game on Friday, then followed by the showdown against Wales on Tuesday, Southgate and everyone in the England camp will be hoping that this injury scare will not hamper his ability or availability for those games.