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Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag will no doubt have a number of selection decisions to make ahead of tonight’s mouthwatering Europa League clash away to Barcelona, with the Dutchman set to be without the likes of Antony, Anthony Martial and Scott McTominay due to injury – as well as long-term absentee Christian Eriksen.

With Marcel Sabitzer and Lisandro Martinez also ruled out through suspension, it does appear that United’s squad resources will be well and truly stretched, with this trip to Camp Nou coming amid what is a hectic run of February fixtures with the club still competing on all four fronts.

One area in which the Red Devils do appear to have some depth, however, is at right-back, with the return of Diogo Dalot having ensured that there is now a real battle for a starting berth amid Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s recent resurgence, the Englishman having started seven of the last nine Premier League games.

For all Dalot’s attacking quality – with the Portuguese gem having provided three assists across all fronts this season – this upcoming meeting with the in-form, La Liga leaders may well spark the need for Wan-Bissaka’s inclusion, such is the latter man’s defensive prowess.

Will Aaron Wan-Bissaka play against Barcelona?

The £50m addition was forced to sit out the draw with Leeds United at Old Trafford last week due to illness and only featured off the bench in the reverse fixture just a few days later, although this evening’s encounter could provide the opportune time for the 25-year-old to be unleashed yet again.

While the former Crystal Palace man has previously been branded “useless” on the ball by club legend Paul Scholes, it is hard to argue with his strength defensively, having been lauded as “the best one-on-one defender for a full-back in the world” back in 2020 by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher.

That quality is showcased by the fact that the £90k-per-week machine ranks in the top 1% in Europe for interceptions made among those in his position, as well as the top 3% for tackles as a marker of his destructive brilliance.

The seemingly impenetrable full-back only recently illustrated that innate tackling ability in the draw with Palace at Selhurst Park last month, producing a vital, last-ditch challenge on former teammate Wilfried Zaha at the death.

The Eagles talisman subsequently voiced his praise for Wan-Bissaka for what was a “great tackle”, with United likely to be in need of such crucial interventions up against the attacking talents that La Blaugrana have at their disposal – such as Robert Lewandowski, Ousmane Dembele, Raphinha and Pedri, among others.

That stellar list of names could well prove frustrated, like Zaha, in their attempts to try and beat the one-versus-one specialist, with the Croydon-born ‘spider’ – as he has been affectionately dubbed – seemingly a wise choice on the right side of the defence this evening.

Although the 6-foot menace is far from perfect – having been culpable for Eddie Nketiah’s opener in the defeat to Arsenal after failing to track his man – he could well be the better option to face Xavi’s men, particularly with the aforementioned Dalot having been ‘caught cold’ by Crysencio Summerville last time out, as per Manchester Evening News journalist, Samuel Luckhurst.

While it will be a difficult decision for Ten Hag to have to make, this away leg could be a chance for Wan-Bissaka to shine.

Newcastle United midfielder Joelinton ‘will be fine’ for the Carabao Cup final vs Manchester United on Sunday, according to Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie.

The Lowdown: Injury concerns

The Brazilian was forced off the pitch during the 2-0 Premier League defeat to Liverpool last weekend after receiving treatment from the medical team, but the extent of the damage was unknown as he limped off feeling the back of his leg.

Eddie Howe was hopeful regarding the 26-year-old’s situation when asked during the club’s media day, but suggested that he would be assessed later with the game still being several days away.

However, a positive update has now emerged which supporters will be happy to hear…

The Latest: Joelinton fitness update

Taking to Twitter, Downie was asked by a Newcastle fan whether Joelinton had been participating in training and would be fit for the game, to which the reporter simply replied:

“Yes Joelinton will be fine.”

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The Verdict: Boost for Howe

Joelinton has featured in 53 of Howe’s 57 games since taking charge at Newcastle, showing how much of an integral member of the squad he is, so it’ll be a huge boost for the boss to have him available for Sunday’s silverware showdown.

The Magpies star has scored two goals and registered one assist in six EFL Cup appearances, showing the impact he’s made in helping his side get to Wembley (Transfermarkt).

The Alianca native also currently ranks in the 96th percentile for most touches in the attacking penalty area by midfielders, highlighting the threat he provides in the final third.

Joelinton has been labelled Newcastle’s ‘enforcer’ by journalist Josh Bunting and he will no doubt have yet another significant role to play in his side’s last push for the trophy this weekend.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their plans to bolster their squad at the end of the season…

What’s the latest on Tiago Djalo to Newcastle?

According to InterLive, the Magpies are the team most interested in rivalling Italian giants Inter to the signing of Lille central defender Tiago Djalo.

The report claims that the Premier League side are the most ‘fearsome’ opposition for the Serie A outfit, with Dan Ashworth eyeing up a swoop to sign the 22-year-old in the summer transfer window, in the race to land his signature.

It is stated that Lille are looking for a fee of up to €20m (£18m) for the French defender and that Newcastle could be willing to pay it, whilst Inter are unable to reach that number despite agreeing on terms with the player.

Djalo could be Eddie Howe’s own Sergio Ramos

Ligue 1 is host to a number of exceptional central defenders and former Real Madrid and Spain star Sergio Ramos, currently playing for Paris Saint-Germain, is one of them.

The 36-year-old, who has won four Champions League trophies and been capped 180 times by his country, is a serial winner and a vastly-experienced player in European football.

Ashworth could now land head coach Eddie Howe his own version of the PSG enforcer by securing a deal to sign Djalo from Lille ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Like Ramos, the Frenchman is a right-footed centre-back who can also play as a right-back if needed, which highlights his versatility and adaptability.

Alongside their positional flexibility, FBref lists Djalo as one of the most similar players to the Spaniard based on their statistics over the last 365 days.

Both players rank in the top 7% among players in their position for pass completion percentage per 90 in Europe’s top five leagues and European competitions in that time, which shows that they are incredibly efficient with the ball at their feet.

Djalo (0.31) and Ramos (0.35) also complete a similar number of take-ons per 90 and this shows that they are defenders who like to bring the ball out from the back, which occasionally includes needing to dribble past a forward to open up space.

The Lille star, who was once lauded as “dominant” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has made 5.29 tackles, interceptions, and clearances per 90 over the last 365 days and the PSG man’s tally of 5.12 suggests that they are alike in their defensive actions for their respective sides.

Therefore, Djalo, who has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.95 in Ligue 1 this season, could be Howe’s own version of Ramos due to the quality of his passing and play out from the back along with his ability to cut out and clear opposition attacks.

Everton’s disappointing form continued yesterday, as they twice threw away their lead to share the points with Nottingham Forest.

Although it was a spirited and much-improved display on the road, it marked a fine chance to propel themselves out of the relegation zone had they won. Yet it seemed like as the match wore on the hosts were far more likely to go on and claim victory, as the Toffees looked physically spent.

The midfield had become ragged, and the usual workmanlike trio of Idrissa Gueye, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Amadou Onana found themselves wildly overran.

However, throughout the game the latter of these became more and more anonymous, with his previous “immense” displays – as dubbed by pundit Matt Holland – eluding him. Indeed, he offered little in the way of going forward whilst hardly dominating defensively in the heart of the pitch.

It has arguably now been some time since the hulking Belgian has performed to the levels expected of him, and his place in the squad could come under scrutiny with James Garner’s imminent return.

When will James Garner be back for Everton?

Having also signed in the summer, the Manchester United academy graduate joined Goodison Park as part of Frank Lampard’s vast midfield overhaul. It was expected that the £15m man would provide ample backup for the more established members, whilst developing alongside them.

However, it quickly became clear that the energetic youngster boasted far more attacking impetus than the usual starters.

Last season the 6 foot 1 gem scored four and assisted eight from a deeper midfield role, but in his cameos for the Merseyside outfit had shown his penchant for a crunching tackle and a lung-busting run. During that campaign, Statman Dave took to Twitter to brand the 21-year-old “special”.

Having seen his progress cut short due to a back injury just before the World Cup, Sunday’s draw marked his return to the squad since as he watched from the bench.

This was a huge step forward for Garner, who Sean Dyche had revealed was nearing a return to regular football.

It will leave the £100k-per-week Onana now sweating over his place in the side, as his last five performances have failed to surpass a 6.7 Sofascore rating.

Meanwhile, it will be refreshing that the former Burnley boss now has a new profile of midfielder to deploy. Lampard himself even outlined how big of an asset this could be: “He looks a bit different to our other midfield players in his attributes; his passing, his delivery of set-pieces and shots he can get away. He is a really clean striker of the ball in a sense of his passing.”

This fresh attacking input from deep could be imperative in thwarting the offensive issues plaguing Everton, and given Onana’s recent form, he could be the one to make way as Garner makes his triumphant return.

Only a ‘big, big fee’ will be able to prise Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins from the club in the summer transfer window, journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed.

The Lowdown: Watkins on fire for Villa

The 27-year-old finds himself in a rich vein form currently, scoring eight goals and registering four assists in the Premier League so far this season.

Six of those strikes have come since league action returned after the 2022 World Cup in December, highlighting the level of Watkins’ performances in 2023 to date.

The Villa attacker’s form hasn’t gone unnoticed, however, and some reports have linked him with a move away from the club this summer.

The Latest: Update on future emerges

Speaking to Give Me Sport, O’Rourke claimed that only a giant fee would be able to turn Villa’s head, with the club seeing him a key man moving forward:

“It would take a big, big fee, I think, for Villa to even consider selling him right now as well.

“And I’m sure he’s enjoying being the main man at Villa, which he is right now. So, there’s lots to weigh up, but I’m sure he will be flattered by the reported interest from Arsenal.”

The Verdict: Must keep at all costs

Watkins has arguably become the first name on Unai Emery’s team sheet currently given the form he is in, with the manager describing him as ‘very competitive’ recently.

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For that reason, it is vital that Villa do all they can to keep hold of the seven-cap England international, with his prime years still potentially ahead of him and his all-round game so effective.

Watkins has not only been in fine goalscoring form this season, but he has also averaged 1.8 aerial duel wins per game, proving to be an effective target man.

Granted, the lure of joining someone like Arsenal could be too great to turn down, but Villa must ensure they get massive money for him if he does want to leave.

Newcastle United notably splashed the cash to secure the signing of promising forward Anthony Gordon from Everton during the January transfer window, with the England U21 international joining on a £45m deal after putting in a transfer request at Goodison Park.

The 22-year-old was snapped up for such a hefty price despite only scoring three Premier League goals in the first half of the season for the Toffees, having subsequently gone on to fail to register a goal or an assist in his first four appearances for the Magpies thus far.

Although the youngster has only been restricted to brief, cameo appearances following his move to Tyneside, supporters may well have been hoping for an immediate impact from a player who cost a truly mammoth transfer fee.

Of course, the Liverpool-born menace still has ample opportunity to make his mark over the coming years, although there are lingering doubts over the player’s actual quality, having ‘hardly done anything’ in the game thus far, according to pundit Robbie Fowler.

As such, it may not be Gordon who emerges as the future star of Eddie Howe’s forward line, with there likely to be other candidates among the club’s youth ranks who could also blossom in the years to come, including 18-year-old, Kyle Crossley.

Who is Kyle Crossley?

There is undoubtedly much excitement about the improvements being made at first-team level in recent times – having only recently reached the Carabao Cup final – although there is also clearly good work being done to help nurture those in the academy set-up.

The aforementioned Crossley is evidently one of those who is proving his worth with his displays for Newcastle’s youth sides, with it likely to not be too long before the exciting teenager is lining up under Howe in the senior ranks.

The emerging prospect clearly carries a “real threat at the top end of the pitch”, according to The Chronicle’s Mark Carruthers, having registered 20 goal involvements in just 48 games for the U18s to date, as well as scoring three times in 13 appearances at U21 level.

That respectable tally includes a haul of two goals from seven Premier League 2 outings so far this term, with the Sunderland-born ace having also featured in all three EFL Trophy games earlier in the campaign.

The dynamic winger – who can feature on either flank – has been described as a ‘quick, yet strong player’ by the club’s official website, with it also having been revealed that the teen speedster idolises Portuguese icon, Cristiano Ronaldo.

The aim for the precocious talent will be to force his way into Howe’s thinking sooner rather than later, with it set to be no real surprise if Crossley does go on to be a star of the future at St James’ Park.

Glasgow Rangers have reportedly been dealt a ‘major blow’ in their pursuit of Nikola Krstovic this summer, although they have set their sights on other targets.

The Lowdown: Rangers interest

It was reported in February that while Rangers are interested in signing Krstovic, they would ‘struggle’ to bring him to Ibrox this summer, as it would take a ‘huge outlay’ to sign him, while also involving selling one of their current options.

His club Dunajska Streda are looking for a fee of between £4m and £5m to sell him, and they are expected to knock back further offers for him in the next transfer window.

Krstovic is seen as a possible replacement at Ibrox for Alfredo Morelos, who is out of contract at the end of the campaign.

The Latest: ‘Major blow’

As per Football Insider, the Gers have been dealt a ‘major blow’ in their efforts to sign Krstovic, as he has recently put pen to paper on a new contract with his current club, that will run until 2027.

They have watched him on a number of occasions, and have kept track of him over the last 18 months, but his club made it clear in the January transfer window that he was not for sale.

Nonetheless, the Light Blues have ‘set their sights’ on signing multiple strikers in the summer, with Bordeaux forward Josh Maja, who is running out of contract, another player that they have a ‘genuine interest’ in.

He is thought to be a ‘top target’, with the future of Alfredo Morelos still ‘in doubt’ with his deal also set to expire.

The Verdict: Plenty of names out there…

The Teddy Bears have been linked with plenty of strikers outside of Krstovic and Maja for next summer.

They have also recently been credited with an interest in Swansea City forward Joel Piroe, while Malik Tillman is an attacker that they could look to sign permanently from Bayern Munich once his loan spell ends at the end of the season.

Nonetheless, should Morelos end up leaving on a free transfer, it will be difficult to replace the 122 goals that he has scored over the years at Rangers, so they may have to bring in more than one striker this summer in order to help fill the hole left by the Colombia international.

The Gers may struggle to do this financially though, with no transfer fee coming in for Morelos.

Journalist Sam Dean has expressed his concern about the long-term future of Arsenal star Emile Smith Rowe, as the Englishman has fallen down the pecking order at the club.

What's going on with Smith Rowe?

The England international was sidelined for most of the season with a long-term injury but has made his return to the Arsenal matchday squad in recent weeks as Mikel Arteta's side challenge for the Premier League title.

However, he is yet to start a Premier League game this campaign, and was an unused substitute in Arsenal's last two matches, with Fabio Vieira and Leandro Trossard now ahead of him in the pecking order.

Speaking on The Arsenal Beat Podcast, Dean claimed that this lack of playing time for the 22-year-old may cause some worry about where he sees his long-term future.

He said: "I think the future seems quite uncertain for Emile Smith Rowe right now. Not tactically, but more generally.

"He's not really getting a look-in at the moment. Even when Arsenal were 3-0 up against Fulham and cruising, he didn't get on the pitch. [Against Sporting CP], they were chasing a winner, needed fresh legs and a bit more creativity, and again, he didn't come on the pitch.

"Obviously, he's had fitness issues as we know this season and there have been niggles on his return, which has kind of stopped him really building that trajectory and building up momentum that a player needs physically.

"But I do think it's concerning that he's clearly fallen behind Fabio Vieira in the pecking order attacking midfielder-wise, and he's very much behind Martinelli and probably Trossard too, on the left, which does raise questions about his long-term future – which sounds ridiculous given how important he was to the team last season."

Could Smith Rowe leave Arsenal?

Given the length of his injury, it was always the case that Smith Rowe would be eased back into the side slowly, despite his previous importance to the team.

Smith Rowe has scored 18 goals for Arsenal since graduating from the academy, and was instrumental in helping Arteta turn his side's form around in the 2021/22 season.

He scored 11 times last term, and his versatility means he can play in midfield as well as the front three. Once he eventually finds his fitness, he could prove to be like a new signing in Arsenal's tough run-in towards the end of the season.

Although the arrivals of Trossard and Vieira have made minutes harder to come by for Smith Rowe, he could be the ideal successor to Granit Xhaka as an advanced central midfielder alongside Martin Odegaard in the long term, and if he can stay fit, it is probably just a matter of time before he is playing a more regular role again.

A number of Rangers fans have flocked to Twitter to express their delight as former manager Steven Gerrard upset a number of Celtic supporters during a recent charity match.

What did Steven Gerrard do in the Liverpool charity game?

With domestic football put on hold while the international break takes place, two teams consisting of club legends from Liverpool and Celtic met at Anfield on Saturday afternoon.

The aim was to raise money for the LFC Foundation and other charities, with the likes of Steve McManaman, Jerzy Dudek and Sami Hyypia involved for the Reds, while for the Bhoys, former stars such as skipper Stiliyan Petrov, Mikael Lustig, and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink all took part, too.

To open the scoring at Anfield, Gerrard sent goalkeeper Artur Boruc the wrong way from 12 yards and then taunted the away end by celebrating in their corner – much to the anger of the Celtic faithful at Anfield, who even hurled a few bottles on the pitch for good measure (as seen in this clip).

The Liverpool legend understandably isn’t too well-liked by the rival set of supporters after his time with Rangers, where he managed to stop the Bhoys from winning a 10th successive Scottish Premiership title.

And he clearly provoked the worst from this set of supporters, who momentarily seemed to forget that they’d actually travelled to Liverpool to help raise money for charity.

While his eventual exit to Aston Villa may have disappointed many at Ibrox, it seems as though many will feel he has redeemed himself somewhat after these latest scenes.

Here are the best reactions on Twitter…

shows them no respect LOVE IT https://t.co/1O9LTWK8Rk— Jamie (@Jamie38402497) March 25, 2023

Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson is expected to secure a permanent summer move away from Old Trafford, according to reports in the last 48 hours.

The Lowdown: Tottenham interest

The Red Devils star is out on a season-long loan with Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest having turned down the opportunity to talk to Erik Ten Hag about his future in 2022.

England’s former international is currently on the sidelines through injury but was in impressive form prior to his absence having kept six clean sheets for Steve Cooper’s side which hasn’t gone unnoticed throughout the rest of the top flight.

On Wednesday, ESPN reported that Tottenham have identified the 26-year-old as an ideal long-term successor to Hugo Lloris and hinted that he could be offered as part of a potential swap deal for Harry Kane.

The Latest: Henderson to depart?

According to Football Insider, Henderson is ‘set to leave’ Manchester United at the end of the season after ‘falling out of favour’.

The 6 foot 2 colossus is ‘aware’ that his club will be entering the market for a new shot-stopper and has since ‘accepted’ the fact that he has ‘no future’ at Old Trafford.

It’s added Henderson ‘prefers a permanent move’ elsewhere in his bid for more game time.

The Whitehaven-born talent also publicly aired his frustrations not long after joining Forest about how he’s been treated by the Red Devils. He said:

“It was frustrating because I turned down so many good loans last summer and they wouldn’t let me go. So, it was frustrating. To sit there and waste 12 months, it’s criminal really at my age.”

The Verdict: Time to cash in

Henderson’s contract at United isn’t set to expire until 2025 but they would be making completely the right decision by cashing in and letting him seal a move elsewhere in the summer.

The City Ground’s number one has only ever made 29 senior outings since making the step up to the senior first-team from the academy and has consistently struggled to nail down a starting spot.

The CAA Stellar client is also yet to make a single appearance under Ten Hag due to the fact that he’s on loan but that is unlikely to change even if he was to return ahead of the new term.

Realistically, Henderson is never going to be taking the shirt and gloves from David De Gea between the sticks and won’t be part of the club’s long-term plans so an amicable parting of ways would surely be the best outcome for both parties.