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Leeds United's hopes of survival currently remain firmly in the balance amid what has been a turbulent campaign for the club to date, with the Whites now just a point above the drop zone with just six Premier League games left to play.

A major factor in the Yorkshire side's woes have been their shortcomings defensively, having now shipped 62 goals in the top flight this season – the second-worst record in the division.

As BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand noted prior to the weekend defeat to Fulham, the backline has been something of a "calamity" of late, with those struggles also evident last term as the Elland Road outfit shipped a staggering 79 league goals.

It could be argued that the club have simply failed to ever adequately fill the void of former loanee, Ben White, in the centre of defence, with the current Arsenal man having been a vital figure in Leeds' promotion-winning campaign in 2019/20.

The former Brighton and Hove Albion asset featured in all 46 Championship games in that glorious season under Marcelo Bielsa, with his then-teammates having seemingly been "begging" the Englishman to stay at the club beyond that campaign, as per Football Insider.

Hailed as "one of the best defenders" in the second tier at the time by ex-Leeds man Danny Mills, White was the subject of a £25m bid from the Whites in the summer of 2020, only to go on to remain with the Seagulls for the following season, before joining the Gunners on a £50m deal a year later.

That inability to snap up the Poole native on a permanent deal will likely still sting for Victor Orta and co, although they could well ease that blow by finding a suitable successor to White from the academy ranks, in the form of 19-year-old, Kris Moore.

Who is Leeds United's Kris Moore?

The promising teenager no doubt bears real similarities to the aforementioned White due to his ability to feature in the centre of defence but also at right-back or in central midfield if required, with such versatility set to be a real asset at first-team level.

Also like the 24-year-old – who has been described as "very, very calm on the ball" by Mills (Sky Sports, 10/08/2019) – young Moore also appears adept at playing out from the back, having enjoyed a solid 82% pass accuracy rate from his three EFL Trophy outings earlier in the campaign.

Those standout showings against senior opposition showcased that the exciting Englishman could well hold his own in Javi Gracia's side, having yet to make a first-team appearance for Leeds to date – albeit while scoring once and providing one assist in 18 Premier League 2 games this term.

Also like White – who has averaged 1.7 tackles and 0.6 interceptions per game in the league this season in north London – Moore also illustrated in the EFL Trophy that he is a true defender first and foremost, having averaged 1.7 and one for the same two metrics, respectively, while also winning 75% of his aerial duels.

As Leeds pundit Ben Parker previously noted, the £750-per-week starlet "absolutely loves defending" and truly "excels" in a centre-back role, with such praise in stark contrast to the current woes of Gracia's backline.

Therefore, it should be not too long before Moore is handed a chance to impress at senior level to help improve the Yorkshire side's ailing defensive unit, with the hope being that he can finally plug the gaping gap that White left behind.

Tottenham Hotspur may have pushed their decision to actually appoint a new manager to the conclusion of this season, but speculation of whom that might be remains rife.

Plenty of fine options have been touted over the last few weeks since Antonio Conte's dismissal, however, given the frugality of Daniel Levy, it is likely that to wait until the campaign's end is to save himself key funds with who he might give the job.

There are a host of tried and tested names who have already experienced the Premier League's struggles, whilst some more exotic and exciting options have emerged from around Europe.

Whoever is handed this testing role will be given one main job, however: attain silverware for a club that has for so long gone without.

The Lilywhites' last trophy success came under Juande Ramos' reign back in 2008, who masterminded some impressive finishes for his side despite limited funds, including an EFL Cup win.

Seeking to find their last trophy before that would be to venture into the last century; a damning indictment of the poor running of the club.

In their endless pursuit of success in the present day, perhaps Levy could seek out the same qualities that saw Martin Jol impress during his period in north London, who laid the foundations for this aforementioned cup win before his untimely sacking.

The typical steeliness of the Dutchman combined with his shrewd dealings left a lasting legacy, and his compatriot Arne Slot could certainly repeat such a feat.

Would Arne Slot join Spurs?

As someone who has been routinely linked given his overperformance at Feyenoord, the 44-year-old would represent a fine appointment to lead Spurs into the future.

Having joined his current club in 2021, the tactician seems poised to finally end Ajax's monopoly on the Eredivisie just one year after reaching the Dutch outfit's first-ever European final.

This success is what draws comparisons to Jol, but also his electric philosophy that would hopefully surpass the 67-year-old's legacy. His back-to-back fifth-placed finishes around 2004 were outstanding at the time, but it is a step beyond this where Levy wants to go.

Slot has masterminded such form with a clear brand akin to someone like Marcelo Bielsa, with his all-action style sure to be an instant hit in north London after years of turgid football under various managers.

Indeed, as Total Football Analysis writer Adam Scully once noted, Slot's 'build-up play is really vertical, crisp and rapid. Unlike some Dutch coaches, Slot doesn't want slow build-up'.

That sounds precisely like Jol, who previously admitted: "In Holland you could never play a real 4-4-2, because that is a direct style and in Holland they like to play the ball from the back. If you kicked the ball from the keeper they would criticise you, so you always have to play football."

Slot's exciting style crucially guarantees results, given the 2.12 points per match average the coach has recorded at Feyenoord.

It is likely all these facets that led him to be branded "the best coach in the world at the moment" by his player Alireza Jahanbakhsh, a glowing recommendation for the hierarchy at Spurs to consider.

To bring a trophy-winning manager with a penchant for eye-catching football to N17 marks a no-brainer, especially with the characteristics the former AZ boss shares with Jol as an overperformer with a fine play style.

Manchester United made some grave mistakes during their first few years following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, most notably in the transfer market.

Both David Moyes and Louis van Gaal failed to live up to the high expectations demanded of them by the Old Trafford faithful and their case wasn’t helped with their poor decisions in terms of trying to improve their respective teams.

The Dutchman spent vast sums of money on the likes of Ángel Di María, Memphis Depay, Morgan Schneiderlin and Marcos Rojo without as much of a sniff of Premier League glory and all of these players struggled massively under the weight of expectation.

One of his worst buys however was that of Italian full back Matteo Darmian, who arrived in the summer of 2015 for a fee of £12.9m and on the surface, it looked as though it could be a shrewd signing by the club. He was only 25 and having impressed at Torino, making over 150 appearances for the Serie A side while also gaining 13 caps for Italy during his spell in Turin.

Unfortunately, Darmian couldn’t replicate his form in England as he turned out to be a massive disappointment.

How much did Matteo Darmian cost Manchester United?

He did enjoy a solid run in the team during his first couple of seasons at the Red Devils, playing 68 matches under Van Gaal and Jose Mourinho, with both managers deploying him as their first choice right back.

Darmian won winners medals in the FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League during this time, and it looked as though Mourinho could finally be the man to deliver consistent success that the fans had craved since Fergie retired.

It wasn’t to be and Darmian saw his opportunities limited under the Portuguese coach, making just 17 appearances in all competitions during 2017/2018 and when he was sacked halfway through the following campaign, Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer had different ideas of what he wanted to achieve, and the Italian international departed for Parma at the end of that season.

His spell wasn’t exactly productive, and writer Tom McDermott even described him as “terrible” during his second season, and there’s no doubt he was a colossal waste of money.

Indeed, across his 216-week spell in Manchester, Darmian rinsed the club for £22.3m overall, split between his transfer fee and the £9.4m he earned in wages during that time, which is money that could have been better spent elsewhere.

Erik ten Hag looks as though he knows what he is doing in the transfer market though and hopefully, big money mistakes like these won't be quite as commonplace under the former Ajax boss going forward.

Manchester United’s latest triumph at home to Leicester City saw Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho steal the limelight as a result of their devastating displays in attack, with the England duo having been vital figures in the Red Devils’ stirring second-half display at Old Trafford.

For all the quality of that fleet-footed pairing, though, arguably the “best player on the pitch” on the day was midfield maestro Bruno Fernandes – in the words of manager Erik ten Hag – with the Portuguese magician having yet again been the team’s creative hub.

Despite being deployed out on the right flank for the visit of the Foxes – as he has done on occasion this season – the 28-year-old playmaker was still central to everything which was good about the home side, notably teeing up Rashford with a stunning outside-of-the-boot assist in the first half.

The former Sporting Lisbon man also found the aforementioned Sancho with a perfectly weighted pull-back on the hour mark to make sure of the points, while he should well have had a third assist to his name late in the first half, only for compatriot Diogo Dalot to inexplicably fail to convert.

That stellar impact saw Fernandes rack up a truly outrageous haul of nine key passes in total – albeit while losing possession 30 times – having also completed four of his five dribbles as a marker of his dynamic brilliance.

What was most impressive about the 5 foot 11 man’s display, though, was his willingness to put in a shift for his team despite featuring in something of a makeshift role, winning eight of his 11 ground duels.

Such an all-action outing – in which the £240k-per-week star racked up a 9.7 match rating from Sofascore – has no doubt become the norm for Fernandes during his time in Manchester, with United having truly hit the jackpot after signing the 53-cap menace for an initial fee of just £47m back in January 2020.

How much is Fernandes worth now?

The midfielder’s continued rise is showcased by the fact that he is now said to be worth around €100m (£89m) according to CIES Football Observatory, with that a notable increase on what the club signed him for just over three years ago.

Although United will have no intention of letting the consistent “genius” – as once described by journalist Muhammad Butt – depart the Theatre of Dreams any time soon, it will be pleasing to see what has been one of the few transfer success stories in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

In truth, Fernandes’ impact at the club upon his arrival in England was almost immediate as he scooped the Man of the Match award on his debut in a goalless draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers, before going on to finish the pandemic-impacted 2019/20 campaign with 20 goal involvements in just 22 games in all competitions.

That impact has continued since then, with the Maia-born sensation now boasting 106 goals and assists in 162 games for the club across all fronts, including 41 goals and 31 assists in just 110 Premier League appearances.

Currently ranking third in the division for chances created (17), the former Udinese man has enjoyed another standout season with regard to his impact in the final third, with 17 goal contributions in 36 games so far.

That relentless brilliance has been aided by the player’s ability to be available for selection almost every week, having rarely been absent through injury or illness throughout his career, both before and during his time in Manchester.

To have a player who can be counted upon to perform no matter the occasion or the opposition is truly worth its weight in gold, with Ten Hag no doubt thankful to have inherited such a gloriously joyful talent as Fernandes.

West Brom are set to be missing Australia international Tom Rogic for their Championship clash with Blackburn Rovers this evening.

The Lowdown: Baggies flying…

The Baggies, after appointing Carlos Corberan to replace Steve Bruce, have been flying in England’s second tier and are in real contention for Premier League promotion.

West Brom have won ten out of 13 league matches since Corberan’s appointment, prompting interest from out-of-manager Leeds United in the Spaniard.

In a boost for the Midlands side, Corberan opted against pursuing a move to Elland Road and instead committed his future at West Brom last week.

The Latest: West Brom team news before Rovers…

Relaying the latest team news before a crunch encounter with Blackburn, journalist Lewis Cox has shared what Corberan has said in regards to who will be available.

Kyle Bartley has suffered an injury setback, and alongside the Englishman, Rogic is also out with a hamstring issue.

Cox explained:

“Just been to see Carlos Corberan. Kyle Bartley out for another 5-6 weeks after scan outcome on quad injury. Another setback for the centre-back.

“Tom Rogic also misses Blackburn tomorrow with hamstring issue. Latter not serious.”

The Verdict: Setback for Corberan?

As West Brom look to put their recent losses against Burnley and Birmingham City behind them, not having Rogic or Bartley still does come as a dampener.

In the case of Rogic, Celtic’s former star could’ve provided an injection of quality as a back-up option.

The 30-year-old, since signing as a free agent in the summer, has contributed to West Brom’s promotion push with three assists and a goal in 13 appearances overall (WhoScored).

Corberan has also raved over the ‘excellent’ midfielder when he has played this season, even if the manager has occasionally left Rogic out of the squad.

Having the ex-SPFL sensation as an option off the bench would have been ideal but it appears West Brom won’t have that luxury tonight.

Leeds United caretaker boss Michael Skubala has been handed some respite ahead of the Whites’ trip to arch-rivals Manchester United in the Premier League this evening…

What’s the latest?

The U21s head coach has been given the job on an interim basis following the sacking of Jesse Marsch on Monday. The American lasted less than a year in charge and the 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest sent him on his way.

The Yorkshire side have won just twice in the Premier League all season and now face the tough test of back-to-back matches against a resurgent and in-form Red Devils side.

But Erik ten Hag will be without some pretty key attackers in the form of Antony and Anthony Martial, whilst Casemiro begins his three-match ban, according to GOAL.

The Brazilian winger, who cost a whopping £85m in the summer, is the latest player to join the ever-growing treatment room at Old Trafford after he collided with advertising hoardings against Crystal Palace.

Big boost for Skubala

With just 48 hours with the team and perhaps even less time on the training pitch, Skubala will not have had enough time to present his own ideas and methods, so very little is expected to change in terms of tactics and team selection.

But for the opposition – who sit third in the standings before kickoff – to be without a trio of important stars is surely a source of encouragement.

Antony was their marquee signing in the summer, having worked with Ten Hag at Ajax in the past, where he scored 12 goals and laid on ten assists last season.

Whilst not a regular starter, he has shown glimpses of such form with three goals from 915 minutes of top-flight action.

Meanwhile, Martial has suffered from inconsistencies over the course of his United career but under the Dutchman, he’s looked pretty good when fit. Indeed, he’s bagged six goals from 14 appearances, averaging one strike every 120 minutes.

With Leeds’ leaky backline, the £58m star would have been sure to add to those return this evening. The Whites conceded 34 goals from their 20 outings under Marsch, which is the fifth-worst in the division.

Casemiro is possibly the biggest miss for Ten Hag and the Red Devils as he has arguably been their player of the season – so far.

After joining in a £70m deal from Real Madrid in the summer, the Brazil powerhouse currently ranks as their second-best performer per WhoScored ratings, with Antony and Martial also making up the top ten.

The 30-year-old defensive midfielder also leads the way for tackles (3.3 per game) and there are few who can replace his quality in the side – last season neither Fred nor Scott McTominay averaged more than 2.3 tackles per outing.

All in all, with United set to be without £213m worth of talent, it could be a good time for Leeds – who have no players valued above €30m (£26m) – to cause a major upset under the temporary control of Skubala, who’ll surely see this news as a major boost heading into tonight’s kickoff.

AND in other news, Skubala must ditch Leeds’ £50k-p/w “revelation” vs Utd tonight, he badly failed Marsch…

League leaders Celtic are back in action away to St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership this afternoon, with the Old Firm outfit heading into that clash off the back of their comfortable, midweek triumph over Livingston.

That most recent encounter saw first-half goals from Greg Taylor, Daizen Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi seal the points for the Hoops at Parkhead, with Ange Postecoglou’s side continuing to look somewhat imperious in the defence of their title.

While bitter rivals Rangers have somewhat applied the pressure of late amid their unbeaten run under new boss Michael Beale, the champions appear to be showing few signs of nerves at the summit, with another win set to be expected against a side whom the Bhoys have already beaten twice this season.

Ahead of that trip to Perth, here’s how Football FanCast predicts that the visitors will line up: (GK) Hart; (RB) Johnston, (CB) Carter-Vickers, (CB) Starfelt, (LB) Taylor; (CDM) Iwata, (CM) McGregor, (CM) O’Riley; (RW) Maeda, (ST) Kyogo, (LW) Jota.

Postecoglou revealed prior to the meeting with Callum Davidson’s men that full-back Anthony Ralston will once again be unavailable due to injury, while backup goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist is also set to be absent from the matchday squad.

With that in mind, we predict that the title-winning coach will make just one change from the side that ran out 3-0 winners last time out, with the 57-year-old unlikely to make any alterations to a backline that kept a clean sheet against Livi.

One tactical tweak could well lie in midfield with the trip to McDiarmid Park allowing the chance for Postecoglou to hand January arrival Tomoki Iwata his first start for the club, with the “unbelievable” gem – as lauded by former boss Kevin Muscat – having made two substitute outings thus far.

The Japanese international’s introduction could allow the chance for reliable skipper Callum McGregor to be deployed in a more advanced central berth, with that alteration affording £12k-per-week machine, Reo Hatate – who has been described as an “absolute beast” by journalist Sacha Pisani – the chance of a rest after starting each of the last 17 league games.

The final berth in that midfield trio could well be taken up by Matt O’Riley following the Denmark U21 international’s standout showing last time out, with the playmaker having registered a classy assist for Kyogo’s strike on the stroke of halftime.

As for the forward line, the latter man is set to retain his place through the middle with recent addition Oh Hyeon-gyu still not ready to feature from the start, while both Jota and Daizen Maeda could again line up on the flanks.

West Ham United could face a transfer battle for a Premier League forward as David Moyes looks to strengthen his squad…

What’s the news?

Speaking on talkSPORT at the start of the month, journalist Alex Crook suggested that Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino could either leave this month or in the summer while mentioning West Ham as a club that could be interested.

He said: “I could see Firmino leaving, certainly in the summer, if not this month. I think there will be clubs looking at Firmino maybe West Ham, who need firepower.

“Half of the Premier League would want Firmino if he became available.”

According to a report from Italian news outlet Gazzetta dello Sport (via Hammers News), West Ham now face competition for his signature, with Serie A giants Inter Milan interested in the Brazilian.

The report also states the 31-year-old could leave for nothing and Moyes should be doing everything he can to sign him.

Dream Antonio heir

West Ham have struggled to replicate their impressive performances from last season during this campaign as they currently languish just above the relegation zone, Moyes needs something to click in the next few weeks in order to preserve their top-flight status.

The club have the joint-fourth lowest goal tally in the division, largely down to Michail Antonio and Gianluca Scamacca netting just twice and three times respectively, and strengthening this area is a priority.

Antonio has recently been linked with a move to Wolverhampton Wanderers during the transfer window and despite scoring 66 goals since joining in 2015, it is time Moyes brought someone to the club who could take over from the 32-year-old, and Firmino could be the ideal heir.

Indeed, this season, the Liverpool frontman has been excellent and has registered more goals (seven to two), shots on target per game (1.94 to 0.70), goal-creating actions (seven to six), and shot-creating actions per match (3.68 to 2.29), proving that he is still performing at the highest level.

Despite Liverpool’s rather lacklustre season so far, the £180k-per-week forward has arguably been one of their few bright sparks when he has played. According to FBref, he is still one of the continent’s finest players in comparison to positional peers across the top five leagues, ranking in the top 10% for non-penalty goals, shot-creating actions, progressive passes, and tackles.

Dubbed “world-class” by teammate Andy Robertson in 2019, Firmino could be an excellent addition for West Ham, especially with the likelihood of Antonio leaving the club sooner rather than later.

A summer move is the most realistic option, however, if Moyes could somehow lure the Brazilian to West Ham in the next couple of days, it could be the catalyst for a successful push away from the relegation zone.

Arsenal will be looking at signing FC Barcelona star Raphinha this month, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Gunners came close to securing the Brazilian’s signature during the summer transfer window before he opted for a dream move to the Nou Camp but things haven’t worked out since, with the former Leeds United phenom struggling for regular minutes.

As a result, the 26-year-old winger – who cost £55m – has been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium once again – according to 90min, Arsenal have made contact with the LaLiga giants to explore the possibility of a deal.

Speaking about the links, O’Rourke told Football FanCast:

“I’m sure they’re looking into it and due to Barcelona’s ongoing financial situation, it’s a deal that maybe Arsenal see as feasible.

“Obviously, a lot depends on the player and there are reports that suggest he is happy to stay at Barcelona until the end of the season.”

After missing out on a move for Mykhaylo Mudryk only last week, with top-flight rivals Chelsea snatching him at the last minute by paying an eye-watering £61.6m, Raphinha could be a viable alternative.

His time in the Premier League was rather shortlived but across 65 appearances, he managed to provide 17 goals and 12 assists, as per Transfermarkt.

Despite not playing regularly under Xavi Hernandez, the “frightening” Brazil international – in the words of WhoScored’s Martin Laurence – still has that prolific and creative touch in the final third, having averaged a goal contribution every 138 minutes in a Blaugrana shirt this season.

What makes him a great fit for manager Mikel Arteta and his league-leading system in north London is his comparable nature to both Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, the Gunners’ two wide starters.

FBref liken Raphinha to the Arsenal pair in terms of statistical profile, adding a defensive work rate to his clear magic touch in attack. When compared to fellow attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues, the Barca whiz ranks inside the top 2% for blocks, as well as the top 18% for clearances and interceptions per 90, over the last year.

It remains to be seen how much Raphinha – who was once hailed as a “magician” by ex-Whites teammate Daniel James – would cost in terms of either a transfer or loan but in the Gunners’ desperate search for frontline reinforcements, they could do little wrong in luring him to the Emirates Stadium this month.

AND in other news, KSE must avoid Mudryk repeat with £80m “monster” who’d take Arsenal to “another level”…

Leeds United have reportedly made contact with Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic over a move to Elland Road.

The Lowdown: Outstanding World Cup

The 2022 World Cup is finally heading towards its conclusion, with the semi-finals next up prior to this weekend’s final on Sunday afternoon.

Livakovic will start between the sticks for Croatia when they face Lionel Messi’s Argentina on Tuesday night, looking to continue his superb tournament.

The 27-year-old has started all five of his country’s games at the tournament so far, proving to be the penalty shootout hero in knockout wins over Japan and Brazil.

The Latest: Leeds make contact

According to Media Foot, Leeds have made their move for Livakovic, initiating direct contact with his agency.

The report claims Illan Meslier is likely to leave Elland Road, and Dinamo Zagreb would be happy to allow Livakovic to become his replacement if an £8.6million offer arrives in January.

The Croatian’s current deal expires at the end of next season, so time is running out for them to receive good money for his services.

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The Verdict: Ideal Meslier replacement?

Livakovic has shown what an impressive goalkeeper he is throughout the World Cup, looking like a dominant presence during games and performing heroically in the aforementioned shootout.

He could be seen as a natural replacement for Meslier at, should Leeds’ current No.1 feel like a new challenge is on the cards next summer.

Livakovic would actually be an upgrade in terms of experience, considering he has won 39 caps for his country, so it would be an exciting piece of business and presumably turn a profit given the calibre of teams eyeing Meslier.

This could truly be a masterstroke from Victor Orta and Andrea Radrizzani.