Stories By Graham Ruthven
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Sport
Arsenal must be careful not to disrupt team harmony with January transfers
Not even Mikel Arteta could have envisaged Arsenal would be in this position this far into the season. The Gunners were on a steady upward trajectory before the start of the 2022/23 campaign, but they have taken a gigantic leap forward in their development since the summer with Arteta’s side five points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
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Sport
Jordan Pickford would be a good replacement for Hugo Lloris
Hugo Lloris’ blunder against Aston Villa on New Year’s Day certainly wasn’t the first he has made as Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper in recent times. While the Frenchman has been an excellent servant over the last decade for the North London club, mistakes have crept into his game at an alarming rate.
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Sport
Three Premier League clubs that Harry Maguire would improve in January
If Harry Maguire’s Manchester United career isn’t over, it’s certainly trending in that direction. The 29-year-old enjoyed a positive 2022 World Cup campaign for England, but has returned to his club even further down the pecking order with Luke Shaw impressing as a left-sided centre back in recent matches.
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Sport
Kalidou Koulibaly has been as big a flop for Chelsea as Romelu Lukaku was
Chelsea believed they had secured one of the transfers of the summer when they signed Kalidou Koulibaly. Not only had the Blues captured an elite level central defender, they had got the deal done for £34m at a time when a new dominant leader at the back was needed after the departure of Antonio Rudiger.
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Sport
Andreas Pereira is proving his doubters wrong by flourishing at Fulham this season
Fulham were expected to struggle in the Premier League this season. Fans were concerned about a lack of investment before the start of the 2022/23 campaign with Marco Silva even voicing his disgruntlement at the apparent inactivity.
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Sport
Donny van de Beek is finally proving his worth at Manchester United
If Erik ten Hag isn’t able to get the best out of Donny van de Beek for Manchester United, the chances of anyone else faring better in the management of the Dutch midfield is rather low. After all, it was under ten Hag’s stewardship at Ajax that van de Beek earned himself a reputation as one of the game’s best young midfielders.
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Sport
Tottenham must use January window to show Antonio Conte they are still the right club for him
Tottenham Hotspur had a difficult enough job persuading Antonio Conte to join them in the first place, but now it seems the North London club must convince their own manager some more that they can give him a platform to achieve success.
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Sport
Stefan Bajcetic has all the qualities to be Liverpool’s long-term replacement for Fabinho
The cameo of Stefan Bajcetic off the bench for Liverpool in their Boxing Day win over Aston Villa was, as Jurgen Klopp put it, “like a Christmas story.” Liverpool fans were surely warmed by the festive display of the 17-year-old who scored his first senior goal at Villa Park, bolstering his growing reputation for the Anfield club.
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Sport
Everton are sleepwalking towards relegation with Frank Lampard in charge
Everton have become accustomed to the fear of relegation in recent times. Last season, the Toffees looked to be in trouble, but managed to scrape enough points to stay in the Premier League. This season, Frank Lampard’s team are back in trouble and there’s no guarantee they will be able to escape once more.
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Sport
What problems must Gareth Southgate solve as England manager before Euro 2024?
Gareth Southgate has confirmed he will remain as England manager until Euro 2024 following the Three Lions’ quarter-final exit from the 2022 World Cup, ending speculation over his future. Southgate is the most successful England manager since Sir Alf Ramsey, but he still has a number of issues to solve in his team.
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Sport
Jose Mourinho should take the Portugal job – he would be perfect for international football
Jose Mourinho has a decision to make, at least according to the reports that have strongly linked him with the vacant Portugal job. Fernando Santos’ decision to depart as manager of the Selecao following the 2022 World Cup has opened up a position that has been filled for the last eight years and Mourinho is believed to be Portugal’s first-choice to take over.
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