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Tottenham Hotspur fell to an extremely disappointing 2-0 defeat in the north London derby on Sunday evening, a result that leaves Antonio Conte’s side five points adrift of fourth place – having played a game more – while it also sees Arsenal move eight points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

As is now something of an unwanted trademark for the Lilywhites, Spurs started the game slowly, with a calamitous Hugo Lloris own goal gifting the Gunners the lead on the 14-minute mark, before a long-range strike from Martin Odegaard nine minutes before the break doubled the visitors’ advantage.

After the interval, Tottenham briefly looked as if they could haul themselves back into the fixture, with Aaron Ramsdale producing three fine saves to keep out Harry Kane and Ryan Sessegnon, although, as the game wore on, Arsenal once again took control, seeing out the 2-0 win with relative ease.

However, while the result will most certainly be a bitter pill for Conte to swallow, the performance of Pape Matar Sarr on his first Premier League start will have undoubtedly been a bright spark for the 53-year-old – as the midfielder well and truly repaid the Italian manager’s “big show of faith” on Sunday.

Indeed, over his 76 minutes on the pitch, the 20-year-old impressed in possession of the ball, enjoying 61 touches – the fifth-most of any Spurs player to feature in the match – completing 41 of his 46 attempted passes – at a success rate of 89% – and finding his man with one key pass – with Matt Kim claiming that Sarr’s forward passes and progression were “amazing” on the day.

The £14.5m signing also caught the eye in more workmanlike metrics, making three tackles, three interceptions and one clearance, as well as being successful in six duels and breaking up Arsenal’s play by committing two fouls.

While the Senegal international’s Sofascore statistical rating of 6.5 saw him fall some way short of the 8.0 received by Kane – the highest received by any Tottenham player – Sarr was awarded a much more favourable six in Alasdair Gold’s own player ratings for football.london.

The journalist wrote: “Making his full Premier League debut in a north London derby and he showed he doesn’t look out of place. It was a tough assignment with Hojbjerg against Arsenal’s midfield three but he worked hard and earned a standing ovation from a number of the fans when he went off.”

While such a lacklustre defeat against their most bitter of rivals is a result that no Spurs supporter will be enjoying today, there should be some confidence taken from the impressive showing by Sarr, as the youngster was very much Tottenham’s brightest spark on an otherwise bleak day.

West Bromwich Albion enjoyed a lengthy stint in the Premier League following their promotion in 2010 under Roberto Di Matteo before Steve Clarke took over.

The Scotsman replace the future Champions League-winning boss with little experience, having only been a caretaker manager at Newcastle United at that point along with various stints as an assistant, but he led the Baggies to one of their best finishes in recent history.

Adding some shrewd signings, including the deal to bring in Romelu Lukaku on loan, Albion finished eighth in 2012/13 – their highest placing since the Premier League began.

Whilst the Belgian marksman stole many of the headlines for their transfer business, as he scored 17 goals and set up a further seven in that campaign, Claudio Yacob arguably had a far greater impact on the club, having joined in that same summer.

Arriving on a free transfer in 2012, the Argentine midfielder would become a mainstay across the various managers who would come and go in The Hawthorns’ hot seat.

The 35-year-old went on to feature 175 times for the Midlands club and earned a reputation for adding a physicality to their engine room, along with a stability that arguably only Gareth Barry replicated when he joined in 2017.

It is no surprise that this came just a year before Yacob left in 2018 and is a testament to his pedigree that only a Premier League legend like Barry could replace him.

During the 2015/16 campaign, which is the earliest recorded Sofascore data for his tenure in the Premier League, the Argentine boasted a 6.91 average rating despite a 14th-placed finish for West Brom, averaging 3.4 interceptions, 3.2 tackles and two clearances per game (via Sofascore).

This was indicative of his entire career in the Midlands, where he became an ever-reliable stalwart. 

Indeed, during Yacob’s time at the club, ex-Baggies team-mate Salomon Rondon was full of praise for the midfielder, claiming: “Claudio is a very good man and a superb player. He is very important for Albion, he has been at the club for a long time and is a key player.”

It is clear that, given the Argentine’s modest price tag, combined with his immense stature and longevity at the club, Clarke struck gold with this deal back in 2012. The now 35-year-old was arguably the most important signing of that summer’s transfer window for West Brom.

Manchester United are reportedly eyeing up a move for Lyon right-back Malo Gusto in the summer.

The Lowdown: Right-back needed

Aaron Wan-Bissaka is reportedly being allowed to leave in the January transfer window, and Diogo Dalot’s contract at Old Trafford expires in the summer.

This could leave United very short at right-back come the end of the season, so a new player is needed in that position for Erik ten Hag’s squad.

The Latest: Gusto eyed

Taking to Twitter, Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg has revealed that Gusto is one of ‘several top transfer targets’ at right-back, alongside Netherlands duo Denzel Dumfries and Jeremie Frimpong:

“Malo #Gusto: The 19 y/o is very high rated at #MUFC and one of several top transfer targets as a right back. #Frimpong is still in. Ten Hag is pushing for #Dumfries. Gusto would be a big solution in summer 23. Bosses estimate a price tag of around €30-40m.”

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The Verdict: Get it done

The Red Devils are in desperate need of freshening up the right-back position, and 19-year-old Gusto would be a perfect signing in that sense.

Hailed as ‘one of the most exciting’ right-backs in the game by journalist Zach Lowy, and a ‘real player’ The Daily Express’ Ryan Taylor, he has often put in performances well beyond his years, notably earning praise for his handling of Neymar in a Ligue 1 game for Lyon against PSG.

Gusto has already played over 50 times for his club, making six assists from right-back (Transfermarkt), and is a star in the making.

Nonetheless, if deals for the likes of Dumfries or Frimpong become too difficult to do, then the young Frenchman could be an ideal alternative.

Aston Villa are thought to be ready to make an offer for Mallorca forward Vedat Muriqi.

The Lowdown: Muriqi profiled

Muriqi is an out-and-out centre-forward who made a permanent move to Mallorca from Lazio over the summer following a successful loan spell.

The Kosovo international has scored 119 goals during his career for club and country, eight of which have come in 12 La Liga appearances this season.

He stands at 6 foot 4 and has been labelled as a ‘dominant’ player by Smarterscout, with Max Kruse once comparing Muriqi to Robert Lewandowski.

The Latest: Villa links

LazioNews24 relayed an update from Futbol Total regarding Muriqi on Tuesday, claiming that ‘Villa would be strongly interested’ in the forward.

The report even added that Villa ‘would be ready’ to make a €20m bid for Muriqi, although Mallorca are holding out for the player’s €40m release clause.

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The Verdict: One to watch?

Unai Emery is after a new A-list forward at Villa Park in 2023, and Muriqi could well be on the list of potential targets.

The 28-year-old has scored plenty of goals throughout his career and seems to be back to his best after a spell to forget with Lazio where he netted just twice in 49 appearances.

A move could be one to keep an eye on, however, if Mallorca stick to the reported €40m termination fee, it wouldn’t be a shock if Villa looked elsewhere.

Aston Villa are a prestigious club, and one of the most decorated in English football.

They have lifted plenty of silverware, although it has not been since 1996 that they last won a major honour, namely the League Cup.

Despite this lack of success in the modern era, they are a club who have boasted some incredible talent at various points in their recent history.

Supporters will not soon forget the quality of Christian Benteke, Fabian Delph and Jack Grealish in a hurry, but one who might go somewhat under the radar is Gary Cahill.

Having come through the Villa academy, the centre-back featured just 31 times across four years in the first team.

Clearly deemed not good enough at a time when Martin Laursen and Olof Mellberg held down starting spots, he was sold for just £5m to Bolton Wanderers in January 2008. It was likely chalked up as a good piece of business, and the Midlands club moved on without him.

However, after impressing for four years in Lancashire, Premier League giants Chelsea came calling.

The £7m fee paid was already an increase on what Villa initially got, but what he would go on to achieve would rub further salt into their wounds. Cahill became a mainstay for the Blues, featuring 290 times for six different permanent managers.

The 36-year-old led an illustrious career and eventually became captain of a club which won two Premier Leagues, two FA Cups, two Europa Leagues, one League Cup and the coveted Champions League during his time in west London.

He became something of a legend at Stamford Bridge, with Thierry Henry labelling him “a leader” whose versatility had surprised him.

To think just how far Cahill has come, from a Villa reject to winning almost every trophy possible in club football, suggests that the Midlands club may have made a mistake all those years ago.

He eventually left Chelsea to join Crystal Palace, admitting his sadness in an emotional interview before detailing: “I’m proud of what I’ve done here and what I’ve achieved in such a short space of time.”

His career is certainly one which should inspire pride, whilst those who frequent Villa Park will instead feel a regret that it was not them who he inspired to glory.

Arsenal are enjoying their best start to a Premier League season ever with the Gunners sitting top of the table as we head towards the World Cup break.

However, there is still a belief in some circles that top four isn’t even a foregone conclusion for Mikel Arteta’s men.

It’s easy to see why that might be the case when you consider how they fell apart at the back end of last season.

Edu failed to bring anyone to the Emirates Stadium in January despite selling Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and that initial decision came back to bite them.

Now challenging for the title, the Brazilian technical director can’t afford to let that happen again.

Fortunately, it looks as though Arsenal will be busier in the new year. They have identified a number of targets from Palmeiras midfielder Danilo, to Orlando City’s Facundo Torres.

The latest name on the rumour mill is that of Noah Okafor.

The RB Salzburg forward has been linked with a move to Leeds and Arsenal via reports in Italy and it’s hard to deny he wouldn’t be a good signing.

Just 22 years of age, the Switzerland international has found the back of the net on nine occasions this term while playing a club notorious for producing some of the best around.

The Red Bull scouting network is remarkable, with the likes of Sadie Mane and Erling Haaland learning their trade with the Austrian club.

It’s a fabulous breeding ground for young talent and Okafor is the latest in an illustrious list of names to pass through their corridors.

A natural centre forward, the young Swiss is already doing Haaland-like things.

His three goals in the Champions League this season – of which one has come against Chelsea –  ensures that only Haaland has scored more for the Red Bull club in that completion.

Meanwhile, Okafor is the only player besides Haaland to score on each of the first three matchdays of a Champions League campaign for an Austrian club, and the first Swiss player to do so too.

Seemingly happy to break records, the £25m-valued talent has been dubbed a “simply phenomenal” talent by scout Jacek Kulig, and seems to be maturing at just the right time.

He is on for a special goal haul this season but Arsenal will hope it’s them he’s plying his trade for come 2023.

Possessing ‘blistering pace’, it’s not just goals and their club history that make the two alike, with Haaland and Okafor very much cut from a similar cloth when it comes to their speed.

The comparison in question does not guarantee that the Salzburg ace will come in and immediately score 17 Premier League goals, but it does make the attacker an exciting proposition.

Either way, Arsenal must ensure they’re at the front of the queue to sign him next year. He could just be their answer to Manchester City’s freakish goal machine.

West Ham made it three wins from three in the Conference League as they earned an impressive 1-0 win away from home against Anderlecht.

David Moyes’ side created a plethora of opportunities against their Belgian hosts but were unable to find the breakthrough until the 76th minute when substitute Gianluca Scamacca scored the only goal of the game.

The result sees the Hammers sit comfortably at the top of Group B, with qualification all but secured thanks to their 100% record in the competition thus far.

While Scamacca will take the plaudits after scoring the winner, a lot of credit should go to fellow summer signing Flynn Downes, who produced another superb display in the middle of the park, perhaps emphasising to Moyes why he should start ahead of Tomas Soucek alongside Declan Rice in the Premier League.

As per SofaScore, 23-year-old would earn an impressive 7.5/10 rating for his performance, which ranked him as the second-top-rated player on the pitch in Belgium, with only Angelo Ogbonna rated higher.

The former Swansea man would have 83 touches of the ball, which was the most of any West Ham player, while he was also incredibly accurate with his passes, finding the mark 61/67 times to register an impressive 91% pass accuracy.

He also played a big part in the clean sheet, contributing five tackles and two interceptions, which was a significant increase on his numbers with Swansea last season in the Championship, where he averaged 1.3 interceptions and 1.1 tackles per game.

This shows that Downes really raised his game against Anderlecht and is surely pushing to start again when the Hammers face Fulham on Sunday afternoon.

Swansea manager Russell Martin was full of praise for Downes last season, saying:

“Flynn was incredible, it’s difficult to single people out, but he does the dirty work perfectly well.”

Downes certainly lived up to that reputation again on Thursday evening, as he just kept things ticking over with his excellent passing ability and also broke attacks up with his tackles and interceptions.

If that impressive performance hasn’t sent a message to Moyes to give him a try in the Premier League, then it is impossible to say what will.

Newcastle United have recently added a new striker to their ranks for a club-record fee. Aleksandar Isak cost the club £63m and has taken the place of the often-injured Callum Wilson as their new starting striker.

Although the Swede is the statement signing which marks the new era on Tyneside, the Magpies may have missed a trick by losing out on a man who would offer suitable competition to both strikers whilst providing a different element altogether from the bench.

Adam Armstrong is now a respected Premier League striker, but when Newcastle made the decision to offload him in 2018 after bringing him through their academy, they valued him at just £3m. This was the price that Blackburn Rovers had to pay for him, and they were more than willing to do so.

It took time, but the forward went on to light up the Championship, scoring an astounding 28 goals in 40 appearances during the 2020/21 season.

The 25-year-old more than earned his move back to the Premier League when joining Southampton last year, scoring on his debut before going on to contribute to five goals across 23 league games.

Unsurprisingly, his goals have seen his value rise to £13.5m (as per Transfermarkt). This marks a 350% increase in value on the price at which Newcastle sold him four years ago, and he joins the list of rash transfer decisions that the Tyneside club have made in recent years.

A similar blunder occurred with Ivan Toney, who was recently called up to the England squad and also left Newcastle in 2018.

Journalist Ian McCullough was one of many who were left questioning the Magpies’ decision as he tweeted in 2021: “Adam Armstrong is a fantastic player. Not sure how Newcastle let him go.”

As mentioned earlier, the 25-year-old would likely struggle to start if he were still at St James’ Park given the presence of Isak and Wilson, but he has already shown with his final season in the Championship just how prolific he can be.

He could well have improved over time at Newcastle, especially if he had been training alongside the talismanic Wilson.

Instead, Armstrong will continue to grow at St Mary’s, and if he continues to find the net with regularity, he will keep making his former club rue their decision to sell him in 2018.

Leeds United could still complete the signing of FC Zurich youngster Wilfried Gnonto despite the rumours going quiet in the last week.

The Lowdown: Gnonto rumours

The 18-year-old is making a name for himself at his current club, already registering 22 goal contributions (12 goals and ten assists) in 73 appearances, despite his tender years.

Gnonto has been described as a player who ‘can do everything’ by Italy manager Roberto Mancini, having also scored once in four caps for the Azzurri.

The teenager attacker looks set to outgrow Zurich in no time and it could be that a move to the Premier League is on the horizon, as strong links to Leeds popped up earlier this month.

There were even claims Victor Orta had agreed personal terms with the player, but all went quiet over the last week.

The Latest: Leeds backed to seal deal

Speaking to Give Me Sport, transfer insider Dean Jones believes a deal will still happen, with Leeds seeing the Italy starlet as a long-term project:

“I can see it happening. I don’t know that this necessarily changes the dynamic of their starting XI or anything like that. I think this is more of a development signing.”

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The Verdict: Hugely exciting long-term addition

This would be a potentially superb piece of transfer business by Leeds, acquiring the signature of a hugely gifted young prospect with a high ceiling.

Gnonto has already shown what a force he can be at just 18 years of age and Jesse Marsch may feel he could turn the Italian into a future hero at Elland Road.

Eventually, Patrick Bamford is going to be replaced at Leeds and the Zurich man could battle with similarly exciting young prodigy Joe Gelhardt into the future, or even forge a devastating partnership with him.

Tottenham Hotspur are in negotiations to seal a move for Nicolo Zaniolo…

What’s the word?

That’s according to French outlet Foot Mercato, who claim that the Lilywhites are in talks to sign the AS Roma star on a loan with an option to buy.

It’s thought that the Serie A outfit would be open to selling the Italy international as manager Jose Mourinho may struggle to find a place in the starting XI following the arrival of Paulo Dybala, who is expected to support Tammy Abraham and Lorenzo Pellegrini in the attack.

It remains to be seen how much that option to buy would be, though CIES Football Observatory currently value the 23-year-old at €40m (£34m), so he surely wouldn’t come cheap.

Kulusevski 2.0

This is a deal that could see Spurs sporting director Fabio Paratici repeat his previous transfer masterclass with Dejan Kulusevski, who currently remains on loan at Hotspur Way for the next 12 months after joining from Juventus back in January.

As per the BBC, the Sweden winger has an option to buy for around £29.2m and given his form in 2022, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the north Londoners pull the trigger, sooner rather than later.

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In just 20 appearances, Kuluevski delivered five goals and eight assists, via Transfermarkt. He has been the only man to rival the likes of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son in terms of attacking exploits for quite some time and he is likely to be the starter alongside the long-serving Spurs duo.

Zaniolo would add a further dimension to manager Antonio Conte’s squad, though given his injury record, it’s a wise decision to try and lure him to N17 on an initial loan.

That said, when the Italian dynamo is fit, he is a lethal threat from the engine room, having provided Roma with eight goals and nine assists across all competitions last season, including the winner in their Europa Conference League triumph over Feyenoord.

The 23-year-old gem, dubbed “explosive” by Giallorossi legend Francesco Totti, is capable of being that creative option that Conte is currently lacking. He ranks inside the top 3% of his positional peers in the Serie A for through balls (0.32 per 90) and the top 4% for dribbles attempted (4.93 per 90), via FBref.

That ability to drive the ball forward before laying the ball off to the striker or out wide is exactly what Spurs need right now to complete their impressive summer business.

Paratici must look to get this one over the line, just a month away from the transfer deadline.

AND in other news, Conte’s 7-word hint will send Spurs fans wild…