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Aston Villa take on Southampton this evening at Villa Park in what represents a good chance for Steven Gerrard’s men to win just their second Premier League match of the campaign.

Their last league match saw the club secure a share of the spoils against champions Manchester City, and they had a few opportunities to win the game. Gerrard will be hoping for a performance along those lines tonight.

Southampton have defeated Chelsea and Leicester City so far this season but their last match saw them go down to Wolverhampton Wanderers and they have won just twice in the league this season.

Gerrard might be sweating regarding his team selection, however, with the 42-year-old waiting until the last minute to decide whether one of Villa’s most important players will feature…

Watkins could miss the Southampton clash

Several players appear to be missing for Villa ahead of tonight’s match, with Matty Cash (injury) and Jan Bednarek (ineligible) not available until their next match, although despite the two goalkeepers Emiliano Martinez and Robin Olsen suffering from illness, they are both expected to be ready.

Gerrard explained his thoughts on one of his strikers and their potential absence tonight, saying:

“Ollie was a little bit unwell at the beginning of the week; we’ll make a late call.”

This won’t be the news either the manager or the Villa faithful will want to hear, especially as it might leave Ings as the only senior striker available for the clash.

Despite scoring just once in the Premier League this season, Watkins is ranked fourth in the Villa squad with a rating of 6.57 as per WhoScored.

His performance against Everton in Villa’s only league win this season showed just how important he is to the team, laying on two assists for teammates, missing one big chance, and having a further shot on target as he looked to get involved as much as possible.

Tonight’s opponents have conceded ten goals in just six league matches this term so far and Watkins would relish the opportunity to terrorise their defence.

Gerrard will be hoping the Englishman is fit, otherwise, he might have to make a slight tactical change to his team. he won’t want to upset the balance to a side that performed so well against Man City and it could be a nervy few hours leading up to the game.

Mikel Arteta really improved the Arsenal squad during the summer transfer window, giving it a proper overhaul in order to push for a top-four spot this season.

Quality arrivals such as Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko certainly improved their starting XI, while the Spaniard managed to get rid of some deadwood such as Bernd Leno and Konstantinos Mavropanos.

These decisions seem to have worked wonders, with Arsenal currently sitting top of the Premier League table.

It might have been even better, with Edu missing out on bringing a talented young La Liga star to England.

Edu must be red-faced

Arsenal were linked with a move for Yeremy Pino during the latter stages of the summer, with a fee of around £42.2m looking like it might be enough to convince Villarreal to sell, especially due to their current financial situation.

The 19-year-old has already made 85 appearances for the La Liga side, scoring 15 goals in the process and his form has attracted the likes of Arsenal.

The club were linked with a few right-wingers during the transfer window, with Pedro Neto from Wolves being a key target, however, Edu must be regretting not stumping up the cash for Pino when he had the chance.

This season, Pino is second in the Villarreal squad with big chances created (three), second for successful dribbles per match (1.7), and sixth for goal contributions (one).

With Presenter and pundit Jack Collins describing Pino as the “real deal” back in August, Arteta and co may have just missed their best opportunity to bring the player to London for a bargain price.

The Spaniard would slot into the Arsenal frontline with ease, with his versatility adding some real depth to the Arsenal attack and he might have taken them to the next level.

Pino has international experience with Spain, winning four caps and even scoring against Iceland in March, as well as having Champions League experience with his club, reaching the semi-finals last season.

At such a young age, his growing maturity is something that Arteta would have loved at Arsenal and it could have been a match made in heaven. With January fast approaching, could the 40-year-old launch a surprise bid? Only time will tell.

Sunderland have another player concern in Jewison Bennette ahead of their game at home to Preston North End in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.

The Lowdown: Simms and Ba injuries

Speaking to the media in his pre-game press conference ahead of the match, Tony Mowbray confirmed (via The Chronicle) that Ellis Simms has been ruled out, as he has failed to recover from an injury to his big toe that he picked up before the international break.

Abdoullah Ba is also a doubt after picking up a dead leg while on international duty with France’s U20 team, while Mowbray seemingly has some concerns over Bennette’s fitness…

The Latest: Bennette concern

On Thursday morning, Mowbray also appeared to raise some concerns over Bennette’s fitness (via The Chronicle), claiming that his involvement against Preston will depend on how he feels after making the long trip from South Korea, as he was playing against them for Costa Rica during the international break:

“It depends on Jewi really, as to where he is at.

“He’s been in South Korea and the lines of communication haven’t been great. I don’t think he will be training today, but he will definitely be in training tomorrow.”

The Verdict: Fingers crossed

Mowbray and the team will be having their fingers crossed that Bennette can play a part against Preston, after potentially suffering some jet lag coming back from South Korea and also missing the first three games after arriving at the club.

The 18-year-old starred for Costa Rica in a 2-2 draw, grabbing both goals for his country before being substituted off midway through the second half (SofaScore).

Bennette has already opened his Black Cats account with a goal last time out against Watford, and supporters will no doubt want to see more from their new signing.

Glasgow Rangers return to action today and they will be looking to bounce back from the chastising Champions League defeat on Tuesday evening.

The 2-0 defeat to Liverpool doesn’t sound too bad on the surface, but only Allan McGregor received pass marks from the starting XI for his string of excellent saves, minimising the damage to just two goals.

A home tie against St Mirren awaits this afternoon, with three points the sole aim, and the Light Blues have suffered no new injuries from the midweek trip to Anfield.

Rangers suffer no new injuries

Giovanni van Bronckhorst spoke ahead of today’s match and had this to say regarding the squad:

“I don’t have any news on Tom Lawrence that I can share. It’s still the same we are waiting. James Sands is back from suspension against Liverpool and we have no worries from midweek.”

This is good news for the club, especially with a run of fixtures coming thick and fast, no new injuries are extremely important.

Lawrence’s latest injury blow is not something that the Dutchman needed at this stage of the campaign, with the midfielder set to be out until after the 2022 World Cup.

Other long-term absentees include Filip Helander, Ianis Hagi, and Kemar Roofe, with none of them making an appearance so far this season.

The match against St Mirren could see Rangers tweak their tactics from the Liverpool match, with Van Bronckhorst offering an insight into an option that many of the Ibrox faithful has thought about since the start of the season.

“They can definitely both be on the pitch at the same time.” Said the manager when asked about whether Antonio Colak and Alfredo Morelos could play in the same team.

With the duo scoring 13 goals between them so far in all competitions, Rangers would certainly offer a greater goalscoring threat.

This might be something the manager tries today against a team who are likely to deploy a low block and attack on the counter. Whatever team Van Bronckhorst decides to go with, three points is all that matters.

Aston Villa chief executive Christian Purslow hasn’t reconsidered Steven Gerrard’s position at Villa Park.

The Lowdown: NSWE not happy

Gerrard’s future has come into question over recent days following Monday’s 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest.

Reports have suggested that the club have held talks over the possibility of sacking the 42-year-old, with NSWE ‘unimpressed’ about the team’s failure to improve under the gaffer.

A number of travelling supporters at the City Ground booed Villa at the full-time whistle, and Purslow has now spoken out about Gerrard’s future.

The Latest: Purslow update

My Old Man Said shared a story on Friday morning regarding Gerrard’s situation.

They asked Purslow about the Villa boss, and the chief executive declared he ‘hadn’t reconsidered Gerrard’s position’, a stark contrast to the alleged feelings from the owners.

The Verdict: Matter of time?

Purslow has publicly stated that he hasn’t thought of replacing Gerrard, however, rumours have suggested that potential sack talks have already been held.

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The likes of Unai Emery and Mauricio Pochettino were sounded out as possible replacements last month, so it could be just a matter of time until Gerrard is relieved of his duties.

Another uninspiring display in the final third against Chelsea on Sunday could prove to be the final straw for NSWE, despite Purslow’s recent comments, which could give Villa time to secure a new manager prior to the break for the World Cup next month.

The wait goes on to see who will be named as Bruno Lage’s successor at Wolverhampton Wanderers, with the 46-year-old having been relieved of his duties after collecting just one win in 15 Premier League games stretching back to last term.

The current chatter is that ex-Sevilla head coach Julen Lopetegui – who was only recently himself sacked by the La Liga side – could well be the preferred candidate, with the Spaniard having previously been a target for the Molineux outfit in the past.

Despite the Old Gold’s current struggles – which have seen them pick up just six points from their opening nine top-flight games of the season – any new addition, be it Lopetegui or another, is set to walk into a dressing room full to the brim with undoubted talent.

One such key figure over the past five years has been that of Ruben Neves, with the Portuguese menace having been part of the club’s rise from the Championship to European hopefuls, having signed for the Midlands outfit back in 2017.

Lauded as ‘one of the best footballers Wolves have seen down Molineux in the last 30 years’ by pundit Dave Edwards,  the 25-year-old has proven a hugely reliable figure during his time in England to date, scoring 25 goals and laying on 12 assists in 221 games to date.

Despite the £36m-rated man’s importance to the club – having been named captain following Conor Coady’s departure – it remains to be seen just what his long-term future will be, having been heavily linked with an exit in recent times with just under two years remaining on his current deal.

Having even admitted himself that he had expected to leave this summer, the indications are that a move away could be on the horizon sooner rather than later, with any new appointment at Wolves likely to need a different figure to build his time around.

That individual should seemingly be that of Neves’ compatriot, Matheus Nunes, with the former Sporting CP man having already caught the eye following his club record, £42.2m arrival back in August.

Dubbed “one of the best players in the world” by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, the 24-year-old has no doubt lived up to the billing thus far, notably producing a sparkling display despite defeat to Chelsea last time out.

The Brazil-born starlet at one stage illustrated his quality by brilliantly surging forward from outside his own box to the opposition penalty area, breezing past a sea of blue as a marker of both his confidence and ball-playing strength.

That talent is also evidenced by the fact that the £40.5m-rated man ranks in the top 1% for dribbles completed among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, with the aforementioned Neves ranking in just the top 36% for that same metric.

A dynamic asset who plays on the front foot, Nunes has been lauded for his all-action style by former youth coach Ruben Franco, who stated: “Before he received the ball he was always looking where he could go next and he always passed to the other guys easily because he saw the game very clearly.

“He could be sitting in midfield and then in two or three seconds be on the edge of the box because he has a special gift to see the free space with a high intensity. We saw something special.”

As recent weeks have showcased, particularly with regards to his impact at Stamford Bridge, the Premier League is already seeing ‘something special’ from the playmaker, with any new manager likely to love the chance to work with such a “remarkable” ace – as dubbed by journalist Charlotte Duncker.

Newcastle United are unbeaten in their last six Premier League matches and they now travel away to face Tottenham Hotspur this evening.

Eddie Howe’s men are on a fine run of form and recently held Manchester United to a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford, which shows that they can go to a traditional big six ground and pick up a result.

Miguel Almiron’s fantastic strike from distance was enough to seal the three points last time out in the top-flight as the Magpies beat Everton 1-0 at St. James’ Park.

However, they may be forced into making a change to their starting XI from that match as one of their players has been dealt a blow in the build-up.

The Athletic’s Chris Waugh Tweeted some early team news ahead of the clash: “Joelinton has a knock to his knee which #NUFC “hope” is not serious but he will be assessed in the coming days. Seems like he’ll be out of Sunday’s game, but Joe Willock seems to have shaken off his illness & Jonjo Shelvey will be in the squad again.”

Joelinton’s injury looks set to open up a space in the midfield and Howe must now unleash Joe Willock from the start, alongside Sean Longstaff and Bruno Guimaraes.

The Englishman has started nine of the club’s 11 Premier League matches so far this season and has been relied upon as a regular starter by the manager.

He has caught the eye on the creative side of the game as he has produced three big chances for his teammates and created 1.1 chances per game from central midfield, racking up two assists for his efforts.

The 23-year-old gem is yet to notch his first goal of the season but Howe previously described Willock as being “full of energy” and claimed that the midfielder is “desperate” to score, without being selfish on the pitch.

His ability on the ball is not his only quality as the ex-Arsenal man also makes an impact at the other end of the pitch. He has averaged 2.6 tackles and interceptions per game so far this term, whilst also ranking in the 15% for pressures per 90 among players in his position in Europe’s top five leagues over the last year.

Willock is a box-to-box midfielder, like Joelinton, who can slot straight in for his Brazilian teammate and do a job against Spurs.

Playing against the bitter rivals of his former club could also give him extra motivation to score and get stuck in defensively during the match – if he was invested in that rivalry.

Leeds United made some poor transfer decisions in their desperation to return to the Premier League, especially as Marcelo Bielsa edged them ever closer to the promised land.

It seems that, in their evolution, they got caught up in the need to buy talent who had impressed in the past, and despite the obvious red flags, they still would stump up the money.

These prices seem more trivial now that they are back in the top flight, but at the time they could have been devastating in their promotion push.

One transfer in particular which fits this bill is the purchase of Helder Costa, which was very reactionary given that he had been on loan the season prior and disappointed.

Across 43 Championship games in 2019/20, he scored just four times and assisted a further six goals, which makes the decision to unload £16m on the Wolverhampton Wanderers reject even more baffling, especially given how Leeds were now making the step up to play even tougher football.

The Angola international unsurprisingly wilted further during the 2020/21 campaign, featuring just 22 times in the Premier League as he scored just three goals, two of which came in their second game of the season.

Despite spending three years at the club, he featured just 71 times, while also enduring some poor loan spells in an attempt to reignite his career.

It is a testament to how far he was fallen that, just this summer, he was finally shipped off to Al-Ittihad, with the Whites resigned to making a 75% loss on him as he left for a mere £3.9m.

Following Costa’s exit, former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson had some choice words to say about the 28-year-old’s disappointing stay at Elland Road.

He claimed of the Angolan: “He hasn’t been able to do it at the level that Leeds wanted him to do it at. When you’re selling a player, you’re only going to command top money from top teams and if he’s not been good enough at Leeds, you can’t demand top money from elsewhere.”

Costa promised much when he moved to Yorkshire, but in all honesty, he has been a huge flop who drained the club in his time at Elland Road.

Glasgow Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara was being touted with a move to England and was likely to cost any interested sides £10m just last year.

However, the Finland international has seemingly declined under Giovanni van Bronckhorst and should he leave Ibrox anytime soon, the Gers look unlikely to earn anywhere near the £10m that was quoted in 2021.

The midfielder, who famously joined Rangers from Dundee United in 2019 for a minimal fee of just £50k, has been a regular at Ibrox in the three years since, making 171 appearances for the Teddy Bears, in which he has contributed eight goals and 11 assists.

Kamara played a huge part in Rangers’ unbeaten title-winning campaign under Steven Gerrard in 2020/21, averaging a solid 6.90/10 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

The former Liverpool man recognised Kamara’s potential after just a couple of matches as a Rangers player and sang his praises in early 2019.

He said: “He looked like a Rangers player and he took that performance into the Kilmarnock game and went up a level again. He’s a terrific footballer in possession, always playing with his head up and looking to connect defence and attack.

“But what pleased me most is what I spoke about when we signed him in terms of how he’ll be out of possession. Will he hunt the ball back, be aggressive, work hard for the team and be a monster in the middle of the park?

“He showed signs of that against Kilmarnock and potentially he can become a top midfielder.”

He also starred for Finland at the European Championships to increase his standing further, and in retrospect, Rangers might have been better off cashing in on the 27-year-old then.

While he has struggled with injury so far this season, on the rare occasions he has featured in the first team he has looked like a shadow of the player that was dominating just two years ago, with WhoScored awarding him 6.05 and 5.85 average ratings for his performances in the Premiership and Champions League respectively.

Kamara’s ruining decline under Van Bronckhorst is emphasised by his scouting report on FBRef, which ranks him below the 10th percentile for a number of metrics including tackles, shots and progressive passes per game, all of which you would expect more of from a midfielder in one of the division’s best sides.

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The midfielder’s contract at Ibrox is set to run until 2025 so while the Gers still look set to make a big profit on Kamara when he does depart, his performances under Van Bronckhorst this season suggest that they will be lucky to earn anywhere near the £10m that was suggested last year. To put it simply, he is now wasting away in Glasgow.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have now scouted Rennes forward Martin Terrier ahead of a potential January move, according to reports.

The Lowdown: New contract signed

The Frenchman was the standout performer in Ligue 1 last season, netting 21 goals for Bruno Genesio’s side, with his efforts seeing him rewarded with a new contract over the summer that runs until 2026.

However, this doesn’t appear to have stopped potential suitors from plotting their moves to sign him, and it sounds like the Old Gold are just one of the several clubs keen on bringing the red-hot attacker to the Premier League.

The Latest: Wolves scout Terrier

According to 90min, Wolves, alongside Arsenal, Manchester United, Newcastle, Leeds, Leicester and Aston Villa, have all ‘watched’ Terrier in action during the last two weeks.

It’s stated that Rennes are likely to demand a record fee in ‘excess of £30m’ for the 25-year-old, which will likely ‘not put off’ any English clubs in the New Year.

The Verdict: Costa replacement

Diego Costa has failed to make the impact that he would have hoped since joining, but the ‘phenomenal’ Terrier, as dubbed by football writer Tim Williams, would be the perfect long-term replacement.

Naturally a left winger, the attacker can also operate as a centre-forward, and has clocked up eight goals and three assists in just 13 league outings this term (Transfermarkt).

Averaging 3.8 successful aerial duels and three shots per game, Terrier is the target man that the Midlands outfit have been crying out for, and it would be a massive coup if they could convince him to make the move to Molineux.