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Paul Merson has tipped Arsenal to easily beat Tottenham Hostpur in the north-London derby this weekend.

What he said

It was a difficult third matchday for both teams. Arsenal lost their first game of the season against Liverpool in an encounter during which they easily came out second-best, whilst Tottenham were surprisingly beaten 1-0 at home by Newcastle United.

With the Anfield outfit and Manchester City once again ahead of the rest of the top six, it looks like the Gunners and Spurs will be involved in the fight for the top four.

And Merson believes that Unai Emery’s men will easily overcome Mauricio Pochettino and co this weekend. He said on Sky Sports’ The Debate (via Metro) on Monday:

“They [Tottenham] were ripped at Man City.

“Okay they got a draw, but there are ways of getting draws, Man City had 30 shots.

“I think their confidence is shot as well. I watched them the other day against Newcastle, it was slow, they were 1-0 down and they were slow.

“I think Arsenal should expect to win this game, which is unreal, really. Tottenham will be well pleased with a draw, well pleased.

“I think Arsenal will win quite comfortably, 4-1. I think they will rip them to shreds.”

Check out fan reaction to Liverpool 3-1 Arsenal in the video below…

Won’t be that easy

Whilst Spurs were disappointing against the Toon and should not be losing those kind of games, especially at home, to say that Arsenal will win 4-1 is a bit of a stretch.

After all, there is an abundance of quality in the Tottenham squad, and with Heung-Min Son now having returned from suspension, they have one of their most influential players back in the side.

There is nothing to indicate that Arsenal should be that confident either. They defended poorly against the Reds and did not create much throughout the match. David Luiz failed to cover himself in glory after conceding a penalty and allowing Mohamed Salah through on goal, and will have his work cut out to stop the likes of Son, Harry Kane, Lucas Moura and Giovani Lo Celso at the Emirates Stadium.

Only once since 2012 has either team scored score four or more in this fixture and although that was last season, the two sides look relatively evenly matched heading into the weekend.

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West Bromwich Albion manager Valerien Ismael has dropped an update on the condition of injured Albion defender, Dara O’Shea.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by Birmingham Live, the Baggies boss revealed that the centre-back, who has been ruled out of action for between four and six months with a fractured ankle, is making great progress in his recovery from injury, as well as being in high spirits despite his setback.

On the defender’s condition, the Frenchman said: “I saw him [on Thursday], he’s good, he’s fine, positive. It will take a long time but at least from the mindset he has the focus to come back. He’s giving great signs.

“I didn’t see a player who is negative or feels bad about the situation, completely the opposite – very smiley, very happy. Now he can focus on recovery. He will need time, he must be patient because it will take a long time.”

Fans will be buzzing

While O’Shea’s return to first-team action is still some way off, the news that the 22-year-old is in a positive place regarding his recovery is undoubtedly good news for the club, as the centre-back’s attitude and application in working towards achieving full fitness will certainly influence how quickly he makes it back.

And, considering just how impressive the Republic of Ireland international has been for West Brom so far this season, it would certainly appear as if the sooner he returns the better for the promotion hopefuls.

Indeed, over his five Championship appearances this term, the £2.7m-rated man has helped his side keep two clean sheets, as well as making an average of 2.2 interceptions, 2.4 tackles, 3.6 clearances and winning 10.2 duels per game.

The player who Kevin Phillips dubbed one of Albion’s “most consistent players” has also impressed in an attacking capacity, scoring two goals and taking an average of 1.2 shots per match.

These returns have seen O’Shea earn an average SofaScore match rating of 7.26, ranking him as the club’s best performer in the league.

As such, the news regarding the £4.4k-per-week centre-back’s recovery is sure to have fans of the Baggies buzzing, as, should the Irishman make it back in time for the club’s run-in, he could well be the difference between promotion and another year in the Championship.

In other news: Forget Grant: £36k-p/w West Brom “leader” who made just 2 passes failed Ismael v Stoke

With Marco Silva’s Fulham side heading into Saturday’s Championship clash having suffered three defeats in their last four fixtures in all competitions, the Cottagers would have undoubtedly been hoping to get back to winning ways against Bristol City.

However, despite dominating possession of the ball over the course of the 90 minutes, as well as taking 22 shots and creating five big chances, Silva’s side would ultimately have to settle for a share of the spoils with the Robins, as Kasey Palmer’s 79th-minute strike cancelled out Aleksandar Mitrovic’s second-half opener – with the game ending 1-1.

Not capitalising on chances created has been something of a recurring theme for Fulham in recent weeks, with the west London side having taken 62 shots over their last three fixtures against Bristol City, Leeds United and Reading, scoring just two goals in the process.

And, against the Robins in particular, there was one player in Fulham’s attacking lineup who disappointed more than most – Josh Onomah.

Lost 75% duels

Having been given the nod to start the fixture in the role of attacking midfield by his manager, Onomah did very little to convince Silva, or indeed fans of the club, that he is deserving of retaining his starting spot in the position going forwards.

Indeed, over his 45 minutes on the pitch, the £5.4m-rated man managed just one shot, completed a mere 10 of his 14 attempted passes, failed with his one attempted long ball and ceded possession for his side on 11 separate occasions.

The player Mousa Dembele once dubbed a “quality” talent also won just one of his four duels – a failure rate of 75% – conceded one foul and touched the ball a grand total of 30 times – 13 times fewer than Paulo Gazzaniga between the Fulham sticks.

These returns saw the £30k-per-week midfielder receive a SofaScore match rating of 6.7, with no Fulham player receiving a lower score than the 24-year-old, something which goes a long way to explaining why Silva hooked the midfielder at halftime.

As such, should 19-year-old Fabio Carvalho return to fitness in the coming days, it would not seem as if Onomah has done anything to convince his manager that he is worthy of retaining his spot in the starting XI for the visit of Swansea City on Wednesday – as the former England U21 international badly failed the 44-year-old against Bristol City.

In other news: Silva drops injury update on “outstanding” £27k-p/w ace, Fulham fans will be buzzing

Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge is shocked that Mikel Arteta and Edu allowed William Saliba to move on loan to Ligue 1 from Arsenal during the transfer window.

Saliba was allowed to join Marseille on a short-term deal in the summer, having spent last season on loan at OGC Nice.

Indeed, since his signing from Saint-Etienne, Saliba has not actually played a single minute of competitive football for Arsenal.

In his three appearances for Marseille thus far this season, Saliba has yet to be on the losing side, with his club beating both Montpellier and Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1 and drawing with Bordeaux.

By comparison, Mikel Arteta’s Gunners are in disarray, and sit rock-bottom of the Premier League table.

They lost their opening game of the season against Brentford 2-0, were then outclassed by Chelsea in a 2-0 defeat, and then lost 5-0 to Manchester City at the weekend.

And Bridge cannot understand why Saliba was allowed to go to Marseille.

He said: “You’ve got William Saliba playing brilliantly in France. People knock France, but I think maybe people are a little bit disrespectful to France. You’ve got Saliba playing excellent stuff over there and you see Arsenal’s defence at the moment, and you just wonder, ‘is Saliba really worse than what we’re seeing right now?’

“Everything going on with Arsenal, you have to question from the top down to the coaching staff.”

Harry Winks should reignite his career by swapping Tottenham Hotspur for Southampton, according to former Premier League striker Dean Windass.

Having come through the Spurs academy and been highly-rated at club and international level, Winks has seen his opportunities at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium dry up and made just one start under new head coach Nuno Espirito Santo this season.

It comes after the 25-year-old was also restricted to a bit-part role last season, with the central midfielder making only 15 Premier League appearances.

Winks’ lack of involvement has led to Premier League clubs taking note and Southampton have been courting the Spurs man since before the end of last season.

Saints have already been boosted by captain James Ward-Prowse signing a new five-year contract having turned down a £25million bid from Aston Villa last month.

Windass thinks Ralph Hasenhuttl should boost his midfield further by sealing the signing of Winks before the transfer window shuts next week.

He exclusively told Football FanCast: “I think Harry Winks’ days are numbered at Tottenham. He needs to be playing football because he’s too young to be sitting on the bench and too good of a footballer to be sitting on the bench for Tottenham.

“I’m sure he would be a good addition to any Premier League club in central midfield. He breaks up play and sets the tempo.

“He’d be a great signing for Southampton.”

Manchester United have suffered a potentially fatal blow in their hopes to sign Atletico Madrid defender Kieran Trippier this summer.

What’s the story?

The Red Devils have been linked with a move for the 30-year-old throughout the summer as manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks to add some cover and competitions for first-choice right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

However, it’s now looking increasingly unlikely that Trippier will return to English shores in the current window, with Spanish outlet AS claiming the La Liga outfit have informed United that he’s not for sale.

Their report states: “Strength at the back remains at the heart of the team’s identity and an asset which they don’t take for granted. Precisely for that reason, the club has made it clear that they are not prepared to enter negotiations with any club for Kieran Trippier.

“The answer from Atlético to every single inquiry about the English right-back has been a resounding No. Atleti have had to explain several times that Trippier is an important player for the team in their defence of the title and he isn’t for sale.”

It concludes by revealing the only way for any interested party can prize the full-back away from Wanda Metropolitano is by meeting the €60m (£51m) buyout clause in his contract.

Solskjaer will be gutted

Trippier has established himself as a top-class right-back in recent years following a string of impressive performances for both Tottenham Hotspur and Atletico Madrid.

The technically gifted workhorse has also made a name for himself on the international stage, scoring in England’s World Cup semi-final defeat against Croatia and catching the eye of the Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate.

“His quality on the ball is outstanding,” said Southgate following a pre-World Cup friendly against Nigeria back in 2018.

“There were two set-plays, the one just before the goal – a free-kick bang on the money – then the corner for Gary. It was a great delivery. But we also know his quality on the ball when he’s in the final third.

“Kieran has outstanding quality, and that kind of profile in that position is very important.”

Therefore, Solskjaer is likely to be gutted at this latest revelation. While Wan-Bissaka’s defensive qualities are unquestionable, the former Crystal Palace gem struggles with the attacking aspect of his game.

In the modern era, full-backs are judged on their attacking output as much as the one in and around their own penalty area, meaning Trippier would have been a very useful alternative option for the Norwegian tactician this season.

The Euro 2020 finalist would’ve been an ideal option to offer healthy competition to his fellow countryman at right-back and ultimately, that would have only helped push the club closer to their rivals in the title race this season.

As a result, Solskjaer could rue this development.

And, in other news…Ole must ruthlessly axe £7.2m-rated Man Utd flop this month, he’s been shocking 

Lee Johnson has provided an injury update on Sunderland defender Frederick Alves.

What’s the latest?

As per Phil Smith of the Sunderland Echo, Black Cats manager Lee Johnson has given a key update on centre-back Frederik Alves following the defender’s early exit from the League Cup victory over Blackpool on Tuesday night.

Alves was forced off with 14 minutes to go and Johnson has said that Sunderland are hopeful it was just a case of cramp, with the club having no serious injury concerns over him at this moment in time.

Relief

Sunderland fans will surely be relieved to read this update from Johnson. Seeing a player, particularly a centre-back, hobble off with 14 minutes to go is never a good sign and you could excuse supporters for fearing that the youngster had suffered a significant blow.

Instead, it appears as though it was just cramp and that he could be available for selection when League One action kicks off again this weekend against Wycombe at the Stadium of Light.

Alves put in a great shift in his 76 minutes against Blackpool. He was given a SofaScore rating of 7.1, as he made five clearances, four interceptions, one tackle and two blocks whilst also winning three of his four duels.

This shows that he has the ability to put in an impressive display against a Championship outfit. Upon Alves’ arrival at the club, Johnson was effusive in his praise of the defender as he called him a ‘high-quality’ player.

The ex-Bristol City boss said:

“Frederik is a player that we have followed closely throughout the past six months, so we are delighted to welcome him to the club.

“He’s a high-quality footballer, and an Under-21 international, and this is a great opportunity for him to continue his development at senior level, having experienced regular first-team action during his time in Denmark. He is good on the ball, tall and mobile and we now have real strength in depth in central defence.”

These quotes from Johnson, along with the defender’s showing versus Blackpool, suggest that he could be a quality option for Sunderland to call upon in the third tier this season.

This is why fans will be relieved to read that he is not likely to be out for a significant length of time, as he can now continue to push Callum Doyle and Tom Flanagan for a starting spot in the weeks to come.

AND in other news, “Desperate”: Alan Nixon drops Sunderland transfer update which will leave fans excited…

United States women's national team veteran Becky Sauerbrunn endured a "rough day" as her mistake set Mexico on the way to a shock Gold Cup win.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• USWNT suffered historic loss to Mexico on Monday
• Sauerbrunn error helped La Tri take the lead
• Defender speaks after costly incident

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The USWNT hadn't lost on home soil to CONCACAF opposition since 2000 but Mexico started well in their group stage clash on Monday night and Sauerbrunn's error helped gift La Tri a deserved goal, Lizbeth Ovalle capitalising with a great finish. It took until stoppage time for Pedro Lopez's side to make it two but Mayra Pelayo's wonderstrike was worth waiting for as Mexico beat the U.S. for just the second time ever.

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• WATCH THE CLIP

• WHAT SAUERBRUNN SAID

  Speaking after the game, Sauerbrunn said: "I made a mistake. It's very obvious that it was all on me. I probably should have done anything [other] than what I did.

  "As a veteran, you have some rough days at the office and tonight is definitely a rough day. But luckily, you’ll have another day at the office and it’s just what you make out of it."

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It was a disappointing defeat and performance from the USWNT but Twila Kilgore's team had already qualified for the Gold Cup quarter-finals and can still have a successful tournament. Finishing second to Mexico in Group A will make that success harder to attain, though, as a trickier opponent in the knockout stages likely awaits.

Lots of Everton fans have been left to gush over an update involving Niels Nkounkou.

Writing in his latest piece for The Athletic, Patrick Boyland has shared that the left-back is set to called up to the France Olympics squad after some of the players in their original selection have suffered injuries.

The French are set to play Japan, South Africa and Mexico in Group A of the tournament, and Nkounkou could well play a part.

It will be a great experience for the 20-year-old, who is currently behind Lucas Digne in the pecking order at Goodison Park, and if he impresses Rafa Benitez, then the Spaniard may be inclined to give him some runouts in the first team ahead in the new 2021/22 season.

Nonetheless, Nkounkou will be hoping that he can play a part in trying to win the Gold Medal for his country in Tokyo.

Everton fans on Nkounkou update

These Merseyside club supporters buzzed as the update was shared on Twitter:

“Boss news”

Credit: @S34nR

“Big positive this, will help in his development”

Credit: @efc_alex18

“Great news”

Credit: @NeilA1878

“Go on lad”

Credit: @_EFCCarlos_

“Should be good for him that”

Credit: @EFCal97

“Good step for him going to the Olympics”

Credit: @richythepigeon

In other news, find out what Toffees update has Blues buzzing here!

Both Celtic and Arsenal look set to miss out on Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Ryan was Postecoglou’s top target

Ryan was first linked with a move to Celtic Park shortly after Ange Postecoglou was announced as Hoops boss.

Scott Burns of The Daily Record suggested that Ryan was a top target for Postecoglou following the club confirmed a deal for defender Osaze Urhoghide.

Celtic were ready to promise him the number one shirt at Parkhead, but it seems as if La Liga side Real Sociedad have done the same.

The Latest: Source shares latest

Football Insider shared a report on Ryan on Monday morning. They were informed by a recruitment source that a move to Sociedad could be finalised this week.

The report adds that a medical has been scheduled, personal terms have been reached and extensive talks over a fee have been held. The Seagulls initially wanted around £5m for Ryan, however, that could be lowered to £3m.

Reports had suggested it could be a loan move with a view of a permanent deal, but it seems as if it now could be a straight permanent transfer.

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The Verdict: Postecoglou now needs to make a call on Hazard

Dundee have been credited with an interest in Conor Hazard and want to sign the Northern Irishman on loan.

The Hoops are aware of Dundee’s interest in the 23-year-old, but with Ryan not looking likely to join, Postecoglou now needs to decide what to do with Hazard.

If he is still confident of bringing in a ‘keeper, it could make sense to allow Hazard to leave on loan, where he would get regular game time.

However, if he is unsure who to target now, he may well decide to keep hold of Hazard alongside Vasilis Barkas and Scott Bain.

In other news: Celtic man wanted by Patrick Vieira, find out who it is here.