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The Liverpool Echo journalist Adam Jones has revealed a big injury boost for Everton involving Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The Lowdown: Lampard confident

Frank Lampard revealed after the 1-0 win against West Ham United at Goodison Park in the Premier League that he was confident that Calvert-Lewin would be available against Southampton after the international break.

He left him out of the squad as a precaution, as he did not want to risk aggravating the injury the striker had already picked up.

The Latest: Still likely to be involved

Taking to Twitter, Jones has revealed that Calvert-Lewin is ‘still in line to be involved’ for the Merseyside club against the Saints after the international break, despite rumours of a setback.

Expanding in his article for The Liverpool Echo, the journalist added that the Toffees are simply being ‘cautious’ with him after he felt some ‘tightness’ in a training session at Finch Farm recently.

The Verdict: Big boost

Of course, it will be a big boost for Lampard and his team if they can call upon Calvert-Lewin against Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

Neal Maupay did well to score the winner for the Blues against the Hammers last time out, but the Englishman offers a different kind of threat.

Calvert-Lewin reached double figures for goals in the top flight in each of the two seasons before his injury-hit campaign last term (Transfermarkt), and will no doubt be desperate to rekindle that kind of form upon his return to the pitch.

Nonetheless, the 25-year-old will be hungrier than ever to impress ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in November, where he will be hoping to make a late dash into Gareth Southgate’s England squad.

Aston Villa have been keen on splashing the cash in recent years, allowing Dean Smith and now Steven Gerrard to stamp their mark on the side in an attempt to push for European football.

Whilst it is still early days in the latter’s managerial career, it seems like he has already dropped the ball when he swooped for wantaway full-back Lucas Digne.

Signing him from Everton, a club in disarray at the time, it seemed like they had pulled off a massive coup on one of the league’s most creative defenders.

During the 2018/19 season, he created more chances (71) than any other defender in the Premier League.

It, therefore, makes his start to life at Villa Park all the more underwhelming, as his six-month stint last season disappointed almost as much as his start to this campaign.

Purchased for £25m too and handed astronomical wages of £163k-per-week for a 29-year-old, it was a risk Gerrard was clearly willing to take to acquire a forward-thinking left-back to further implement his system.

All in all, given his £8.5m per year salary, after this season he will have cost NSWE a total of £36.75m

During his eight-month (35 week) period at the club so far, he has just one goal and four assists in 24 games.

Compared with his last full season with the Toffees, during the 2020/21 season, he assisted seven times in 30 games, a far better return.

His average SofaScore rating of 6.81 this season is also indicative of an underperforming player, who offers little defensively if he is not going forward.

With zero assists this season in their opening seven league fixtures, the Frenchman is dribbled past 0.9 times per game whilst only winning possession 0.6 times.

His defensive deficiencies could be overlooked at Goodison Park due to his fantastic offensive output, but with that having dried up for Aston Villa, they are left with a shell of the player they intended to buy.

There is still time for him to come good for Gerrard, but his side’s faltering start to the season means it might be harder than just flipping a switch. It will take hard work and some tough words, which is similar to what Rafa Benitez used to drive him out of Merseyside.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe is looking to add another midfielder to his Magpies squad next summer, according to Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie.

The Lowdown: Interest in midfielders

The Tyneside club were linked with a number of midfielders this summer as they aimed to assemble a squad capable of European qualification.

Whilst Newcastle were linked with the likes of Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans and Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher, the most prominent speculation emerged regarding James Maddison. The Magpies made two bids for the 25-year-old, the second of which totalled a staggering £50m (£45m plus £5m in add-ons).

However, the Foxes remained firm on their £60m valuation of the playmaker, leaving Howe without an additional midfield acquisition.

The Latest: Downie’s claim

Downie understands that Newcastle are keen to add a top-quality midfielder to their squad next year, with that piece of the puzzle missing next to current Brazilian duo Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, the Sky Sports reporter claimed: “Next summer, I think they’ll then be looking to add a real class midfielder to come in and complement the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton in there. I think they definitely need someone in that position as well.”

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The Verdict: Could be scope for playmaking addition

Since Guimaraes arrived at St James’ Park and Joelinton moved to a more defensive position in midfield, Newcastle look far superior in the middle of the park compared to last season.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, Guimaraes ranks in the 99th percentile for tackles and the 93rd percentile for progressive carries and non-penalty expected goals plus expected assists.

Complimenting this, Joelinton ranks in the 96th percentile for aerial duels won, the 93rd percentile for touches in the attacking penalty area and the 90th percentile for blocks (via FBRef).

However, this leaves a space for a new playmaker to be integrated into Newcastle’s starting XI, which could ultimately result in an equally balanced midfield trio.

Liverpool have been told to sign Real Madrid star Federico Valverde by BBC pundit Alan Hutton.

The Lowdown: Late offer rejected

The Reds were on the hunt for a new midfielder over the summer to provide cover for an injury crisis, and ended up landing Arthur Melo from Juventus on a season-long loan.

However, he wasn’t one of FSG’s original targets, with the owners reported to have lodged an £86.5m bid for the 24-year-old Valverde in the final two days of the transfer window, though their attempt to bring him to the Premier League was rejected.

There is also the interest in Jude Bellingham, which seems to be never-ending and sure to continue into 2023.

The Latest: Liverpool backed to sign Valverde

Asked by Football Insider whether Valverde would be a good fit for Liverpool, Hutton said:

“I think so.

“I think he’s an outstanding player. I’ve seen him a few times for Real Madrid and he brings a lot of attributes to that midfield. Not only that, I think he can play higher up the pitch as well.

“It is definitely an area of the pitch where Liverpool need work over the next year or so. Defensively as a unit and in midfield they are struggling so he is definitely someone that could help them now, never mind in the future.“

The Verdict: Gerrard’s heir?

The Reds haven’t made an impactful midfield signing since Thiago Alcantara two years ago, so it would be a massive coup if they could land Valverde at some point in the future.

The Uruguayan, dubbed a ‘monster’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, has already clocked up four goal contributions in seven La Liga appearances, and currently averages two shots and 1.6 key passes per 90 minutes (WhoScored).

Valverde was once even likened to Steven Gerrard, and he has all the right qualities to become a Liverpool legend just as the former captain did if he was ever to make the move to Anfield.

Nottingham Forest midfielder Ryan Yates was hailed by journalist Paul Taylor after a strong performance in the 1-1 draw at home to Aston Villa.

The Lowdown: Forest held by Villa

The Reds hosted Steven Gerrard’s side in the Premier League on Monday night, as they looked to celebrate Steve Cooper’s new contract in style.

In truth, it wasn’t a classic at the City Ground, with Emmanuel Dennis opening the scoring and Ashley Young firing home a long-range equaliser before half-time, but few chances for either team outside of that.

Yates performed well on a frantic night in the middle of the park however, winning nine of his 14 ground duels and also all four aerial duels he competed for, according to Sofascore, with 13 total individual battles won the most of any player on the pitch.

The Latest: Yates’ performance praised

Taking to Twitter during the game, Taylor praised Yates’ influence against Villa in a simple four-word verdict:

“Yates leading by example.”

The Verdict: Underrated figure for Reds

Taylor’s description of Yates’ display perfectly highlights the type of player he is, with the 24-year-old an excellent vice-captain for Forest, despite still only being 24. Cooper has praised the youngster’s leadership qualities in the past, and they were on full show on Monday night.

There may be others in the team who make more headlines, or who fans of other clubs know better, but the Englishman continues to be a key cog in the machine.

The fact that he also made four clearances against Villa – the second highest figure of any player (Scott McKenna, 5) – further shows what an unsung individual he is and his 86.8% pass completion rate in the league this season is proof of his quality on the ball, too.

Manchester United left-back Alex Telles is set to depart the club to join Al Nassr as the Glazers start a summer clear-out of Erik ten Hag’s squad, according to Manchester Evening News.

Who have Manchester United signed in 2023?

The Red Devils have really kick-started their business in the summer transfer window this week with a move for Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana, following on from the big money signing of Chelsea’s Mason Mount.

Ten Hag was delighted with the arrival of Cameroon star Onana, saying: "I think with his physical presence and also with his personality, he is so keen on winning. He's so, so eager to win trophies and he will help the team and he will help the squad to get to higher levels."

The manager is far from done adding to his squad though, with rumours he could sign another more experienced goalkeeper in Sevilla and Morocco star Bono, while there is also expected to be some action in the centre-forward department, with Rasmus Hojlund seemingly the top target there.

The club are in pole position to sign Hojlund, but with a price tag rumoured to be around €90m (£78m) they will have to get busy in the outgoing department in the coming days and weeks, looking to clear space on the wage bill and recoup some funds.

How much is Alex Telles worth?

According to Samuel Luckhurst, writing for MEN, Telles could be the first senior squad member sold for a fee this summer, as the Brazilian looks all set to join Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, the same club Cristiano Ronaldo plays for.

However, the Glazers aren’t going to get much profit back on the deal, as the former FC Porto man will generate a fee of just £6m after three years at Old Trafford.

This is of course a far cry from some of the funds flying around to Premier League rivals in deals with the Middle East – Jordan Henderson and Fabinho look set to generate over £50m for Liverpool, Allan Saint-Maximin’s move from Newcastle is said to be worth around £26m, while Chelsea have sold several players for big money.

There is however some Saudi interest in Eric Bailly, while Anthony Elanga looks set to join Premier League side Nottingham Forest and Dean Henderson could soon follow suit too, so perhaps the manager could have a few more funds to work with before too long.

Telles was far from a success story at Old Trafford, never really budging Luke Shaw off the top spot in the left-back pecking order and playing just 30 times in the Premier League.

However, the 30 year-old did rack up 50 outings in total in the northwest, scoring once and racking up eight assists, so the end product that made him so exciting at Porto did rear its head at times.

The main beneficiary from Telles’ exit will presumably be Tyrell Malacia, who joined the club from Feyenoord last summer and had an up and down first campaign in England, showing flashes of his potential but recording zero goals or assists from 39 games.

Holders Celtic marched on into the semi-finals of the League Cup with an emphatic victory over Motherwell on Wednesday evening, with Ange Postecoglou’s side putting four past their hapless hosts with a brutal showing at Fir Park.

Fresh from having hit Hibernian for six at Parkhead just a few days earlier, the Old Firm outfit were again in rampant mood against Steven Hammell’s side last night, with dynamic forward Liel Abada grabbing the headlines as a result of his clinical brace.

The Israel international put the visitors ahead inside the first half after rounding off a well-worked move involving the lively Greg Taylor, before calmly slotting home after the break following opposition goalkeeper, Liam Kelly’s, tame parry.

That showing has taken the 21-year-old’s tally to eight in all competitions so far this season, with such form seemingly backing suggestions that the flying winger could now be worth as much as £15m in the near future.

It was not only the promising youngster who caught the eye, however, with Japan international Reo Hatate once again proving a thorn in the side of the Steelmen, having helped secure all three points when the two sides met earlier this season.

That previous meeting had seen the 24-year-old lash home a stunning strike after Josip Juranovic’s own goal had cancelled out Kyogo Furuhashi’s opener, although this time around the diminutive ace picked apart the opposition in a far more silky manner.

The £14.5k-per-week sensation arguably ran the show from his midfield berth on the night, notably teeing up compatriot Kyogo early in the opening period with a threaded cutback, only to see the tenacious forward somehow put his attempt wide.

The creative gem would again play in his international colleague soon after only for the forward to see his close-range shot brilliantly saved by the aforementioned Kelly, as Postecoglou’s men enjoyed a seemingly unrelenting spell of pressure.

Hatate’s most telling contribution, however, would come just past the hour mark to put his side 3-0 up, with the one-cap starlet producing an outrageous piece of trickery inside the penalty area to calmly slot the ball home, having left Well to “look like schoolboys” in the words of journalist John McGinley.

A ‘key’ figure in that triumph – as per Glasgow Live’s Ben Banks – the former Kawasaki Frontale man has again shown just what an asset he is to the Scottish champions, with his reported £1.4m fee looking more of a bargain with each passing game.

Journalist Chris Lepkowski has been reacting to a change new West Brom manager Carlos Corberan has made at The Hawthorns.

The Lowdown: Training ground weigh-ins

Corberan has already made his mark at the training ground after arriving in the week as Steve Bruce’s long-term successor on a two-and-a-half-year deal.

The Spaniard has taken inspiration from his time working under Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds by ordering the Baggies squad to weigh themselves before every training session under new rules.

The Daily Mail added that there will also be strict guidance on diet and nutrition under Corberan.

The Latest: Lepkowski reacts

Lepkowski took to Twitter on Friday evening to react to the update regarding Corberan’s changes, name-checking former manager Steve Bruce in the process.

“The Bruce legacy? Or what we can come to expect from the new man? Or a bit of both?”

The Verdict: Good to see

Bielsa’s stern regime at Leeds helped transform them from a mid-table Championship side into title winners in the space of two years.

Corberan played his part in Yorkshire, working in the academy and as a first-team assistant, and also turned things around at Huddersfield, leading them to the Championship playoff final last season.

Therefore, it is good to see that he has already made changes in the Midlands, and hopefully, we will see positive performances on the pitch as a result of his strict plans in the coming months.

West Ham return to domestic action on Sunday as they travel to Old Trafford to take on an in-form Manchester United side.

David Moyes’ side assured themselves of top spot in their Europa Conference League group on Thursday evening against Silkeborg and the Scottish manager will likely ring the changes as his side looks to continue their recent upturn in Premier League form.

However, they face a United side that are unbeaten in their last seven games in all competitions, so the Hammers will have to be at their best if they want to pick up a rare away win against one of the Premier League’s ‘top six’.

Here is how Football FanCast expects Moyes to line his side up at Old Trafford, with eight changes from the team that started at the London Stadium in midweek.

West Ham predicted XI vs Manchester United: Fabianski, Johnson, Kehrer, Zouma, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Rice, Soucek, Benrahma, Bowen, Scamacca (5-2-1-2).

Despite an impressive performance in the win over Silkeborg, it seems likely that Alphonse Areola will make way for Lukasz Fabianski in between the sticks with the Pole the club’s regular league goalkeeper.

After some recent success with a back five, Moyes may well continue with that in the hope that it can give the Hammers some defensive security at Old Trafford, so Ben Johnson and Aaron Cresswell start as wing-backs, with Emerson and Vladimir Coufal dropping to the bench.

The three centre-backs could be Thilo Kehrer, Kurt Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna, with Nayef Aguerd perhaps not ready for his Premier League debut after only making his first competitive start for the club on Thursday.

In midfield, Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek seem almost certain to return, with Conor Coventry and Manuel Lanzini dropping back to the bench after rare starts against Silkeborg.

Pablo Fornals, despite being a “very important” player for Moyes, also drops out, with Jarrod Bowen returning from injury to take his place in attack alongside Said Benrahama, who keeps his place after scoring against Bournemouth on Monday evening.

The final change sees Gianluca Scamacca return in place of Michail Antonio, whose return of two goals so far this season has seen him make way for the Italian as the starting striker at the club.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has given the green light for club officials to sign a new forward, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Ings and Watkins struggling

Villa have struggled for goals in the Premier League in general this season, netting just 14 times in as many matches.

Strikers Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins have struggled in front of goal, with the former netting three times and the latter just twice in the top flight.

It seems as if Emery wants to strengthen in the final third, especially as he is set to be backed with a ‘huge’ January budget.

The Latest: Emery wants marquee forward

Football Insider reporter Wayne Veysey shared an update on Villa’s transfer plans on Thursday morning.

The reporter revealed that the club have set their sights on a new A-list forward following approval from Emery. The Villa boss is believed to want a forward who can play anywhere across the front three.

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The Verdict: A few possible targets

A number of forwards have been linked with a move to the Midlands in recent weeks, including Noa Lang, Ben Brereton Diaz, Nicolas Jackson, Eden Hazard and Samuel Chukwueze.

Some of those players could certainly be of real interest to NSWE and Johan Lange, and it will be interesting if Emery wants a player who is primarily a centre-forward or a winger.

Bringing in a new attacker appears to be necessary given the struggles of Ings and Watkins, so this is an exciting update which has emerged over the last 48 hours.