Tottenham may well take on Manchester City this afternoon without Antonio Conte in the dugout after the Italian underwent surgery to remove his gallbladder in the week.

As a result, Cristian Stellini could earn a rare opportunity to take charge of the team and he’ll certainly have his work cut out as they welcome the champions to the capital.

Spurs looked fantastic in the first half against the Citizens a few weeks ago, scoring two goals, but they were eventually undone in the second period as they succumbed to a 4-2 defeat.

It was damaging for Conte and co but they have the perfect opportunity to get revenge on Sunday.

It’ll be a game of change for Spurs who could make a host of alterations to the side that beat Preston North End in the FA Cup last week, with Football FanCast predicting the following side to take to the field:

Lloris, Romero, Dier, Davies, Porro, Bentancur, Hojbjerg, Sessengon, Kulusevski, Kane, Son.

Our XI features seven changes from the side that took to the field last weekend with the most notable one coming at right wing-back.

Pedro Porro, signed from Sporting Lisbon on the deadline day, could earn a debut against his former employers with the Spaniard potentially starting ahead of £40k-per-week Emerson Royal.

The Brazilian has been a “liability” at times – in the words of Jamie O’Hara – and his run in the team must soon come to an end.

There are a wealth of changes to the backline as a whole with skipper Hugo Lloris coming back in for cup ‘keeper Fraser Forster, while Clement Lenglet, Davinson Sanchez and Japhet Tanganga all step out for Ben Davies, Eric Dier and Cristian Romero who have been regular starters throughout 2022/23.

Rodrigo Bentancur is set to keep his place but he is likely to be beside Pierre-Emile Hojgjberg with the £63m-rated midfielder “monster” – as dubbed by Morten Bisgaard coming in for Yves Bissouma. The Dane has been one of the first names on the team sheet this term, having featured for 90 minutes in all but one of the league games he’s played in.

The final change comes in attack where Harry Kane will come in for Ivan Perisic having been rested last weekend.

He has been nothing short of sublime of late, scoring five in his last seven outings.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke says that Everton are ‘plotting’ a move for West Ham United defender Ben Johnson.

The Lowdown: Gordon money to spend…

Everton now have money to spend after selling Anthony Gordon to Newcastle United for a reported £40m, potentially rising to £45m.

However, the Toffees have reportedly offered the same amount to Chelsea to try and sign midfielder Conor Gallagher, so it will be interesting to see how much money they have left in the bank to potentially spend on other signings.

The Latest: Johnson move plotted

Taking to Twitter, O’Rourke says that Everton are also ‘plotting’ a move for Johnson before the transfer window closes tomorrow night.

He tweeted: “Understand Everton are plotting a move to sign West Ham defender Ben Johnson before the close of the transfer window.”

Expanding in his corresponding article for Football Insider, O’Rourke adds that new Toffees manager Sean Dyche has already ‘sanctioned’ the move and is a ‘big admirer’ of Johnson’s versatility and Premier League calibre.

The Verdict: Smart target

Everton need to strengthen in a number of key areas before the transfer deadline, including in attack after the departure of Gordon, but full-back is another area which needs cover.

Johnson is equally as comfortable playing at right-back as at left-back, and Ruben Vinagre is only on loan from Sporting Lisbon, so the Toffees will need long-term competition for Vitaliy Mykolenko on the left flank.

At right-back, Seamus Coleman is not getting any younger at 34, while Nathan Patterson has struggled with injuries ever since making his move from Rangers.

Nonetheless, considering Johnson’s Premier League experience, this would be a smart move for the Toffees, should they be able to get him signed before the deadline.

Tottenham Hotspur cruised to a 3-0 victory today in the FA Cup, in what had the potential to be a truly tough fixture.

Preston North End were enjoying a run of three wins in their last four games in all competitions but knew that welcoming the Lilywhites would be a difficult task despite their patchy form.

Antonio Conte opted for an interesting lineup in which no recognised central striker featured, and as such, the goalscoring burden fell once more onto Heung-min Son.

The South Korean has struggled this campaign, and with just four goals in the Premier League, it marked a risky choice from the Italian to opt for him over the substitute Harry Kane.

However, he more than repaid that faith with a brilliant brace of the highest order.

Cutting in on his ‘weaker’ left foot, he unleashed two sumptuous strikes which found the opposite corners respectively to put the game beyond doubt. They craved his magic on a night where, despite boasting 69% of the ball, could only muster six shots on target.

Although he may earn the bulk of the plaudits for his offensive exploits, it cannot be understated just how solid Spurs were at the back too.

Much of that was down to the resurgent Japhet Tanganga, who Conte employed in a right centre-back role alongside Davinson Sanchez and Clement Lenglet.

Despite being a natural full-back, the 23-year-old enjoyed an accomplished performance which culminated in a 7.4 Sofascore rating; a number only bettered by Son out of anyone on the pitch.

The defender was instrumental in their build-up play, best showcased through his spectacular 103 touches and 88 passes attempted. What truly makes him stand out is that despite the quantity being so vast he still retained a 91% success rate, with one of those being a key pass too.

Journalist Kat Lucas put it best when she labelled Tanganga “very composed” in a post-match tweet.

However, he would pair this with a fine defensive work rate that really pulled his whole performance together. Making four clearances, he supplemented that with an additional two interceptions and one tackle (via Sofascore). He truly neutralised the attack of the hosts.

Son was admittedly superb tonight, and without him, their journey into the fifth round of the cup would have been far more arduous.

But the foundation for him to shine was built from the solidity and quality of Tanganga, which is why he deserves particular praise in maintaining their push for a trophy.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been fairly active over the last two transfer windows in an effort to retain their position in the top half of the Premier League table with the side earning a 10th-place finish in the 2021/22 season.

Despite their efforts to improve the team, the Midlands club have struggled over the first half of the current campaign and ultimately parted ways with Bruno Lage in late 2021, replacing the manager quickly with Julen Lopetegui in November.

Lopetegui has significantly improved the squad’s fate since taking the reins when the club found themselves in the relegation zone and thanks to his impact they are now 15th in the league table, although there is still a long way to go to make a convincing difference with a comfortable finish at the end of the season.

Indeed, the likes of Matheus Nunes and Nathan Collins have made a positive impact on the team since joining in the summer, however, there was one player who the club missed out on that has become one of the stand-out performers in the Premier League this season.

Former Sporting CP midfielder Joao Palhinha was heavily linked with a move to Molineux last summer and it was reported that the club rejected the chance to secure his services allowing newly-promoted Fulham to swoop in and sign the player for just £20m.

There is no doubt that the missed opportunity will be something that the Wolves hierarchy will now regret as the Portuguese talent has taken like a fish to water in the top flight, proving to be a crucial component in his current club’s rise to eighth in the league table.

Over 21 Premier League appearances, Palhinha – who was dubbed “incredible” by Sky Sports broadcaster Nubaid Haroon – has scored three goals and tallied up an 82% pass completion rate so far, as well as averaging 1.3 shots in total, 51.5 touches, 1.3 interceptions, 4.7 tackles, 1.9 clearances and an impressive 8.2 duels won per game.

It suggests he is an all-rounder in the middle of the park, a player who uses his long strides to bound about the pitch in such a fashion that Haroon also comedically implied that he had “18 legs.”

The 27-year-old midfielder is currently the highest-ranking player in the entire Premier League for tackles won (98) by some distance with Leeds United ace Tyler Adams behind him in second with 76 won, as well as winning the most duels (171) – 32 more than any other Premier League player this season so far.

As such, it will be frustrating for Lopetegui as Palhinha could have been the dream heir to succeed Ruben Neves, a move that would have considerably taken the pressure off the club as the Wolves star has been heavily linked to moves away from Molineux ahead of his contract expiration in 2024.

With that being said, there is no doubt that the powerbrokers at Molineux will rue their decision to not sign Palhinha when they had the chance last summer. Instead, they will now have to hope they can convince Neves to commit his future to the club in order to avoid weakening their midfield in the next transfer window.

Manchester City are ‘starting talks’ with Borussia Dortmund about signing midfielder Jude Bellingham, according to journalist Rudy Galetti.

The Lowdown: Man City eyeing Bellingham

City are said to be one of several clubs interested in signing the 19-year-old this summer, with the Premier League champions also facing competition for his signature from the likes of Liverpool and Real Madrid.

It has previously been reported that the Sky Blues would need to fork out £100m up front if they want to win the race for the England international, and they are now said to be in the initial stages of negotiations.

The Latest: Man City ‘starting talks’ over Bellingham

Galetti spoke to GIVEMESPORT about the progress that the Sky Blues have made in their pursuit of the Dortmund youngster.

The journalist stated: “We have to pay attention to Manchester City, who are in the race. They are starting talks with Borussia to go deeper into the situation of Bellingham. Everything is still to be decided and at the moment we are only just at the beginning of the race for Bellingham.”

The Verdict: Get it done

Hailed as ‘sensational’ by Gary Lineker during the World Cup, the England midfielder has hit the ground running upon his return to club action, weighing in with a goal and three assists in his last four games.

One of the teenager’s most impressive attributes is his dribbling, completing 1.75 successful take-ons per 90 over the past year, which ranks him in the 97th percentile compared to other midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues.

An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their pursuit of a deal to sign Nico Williams in the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Aston Villa’s interest in Nico Williams?

According to the Daily Mail, Villans boss Unai Emery is desperate to add a tall, athletic, winger to bolster his squad and is determined to sign the Athletic Bilbao attacker to fill that role.

The report claims that the Spanish international rejected the chance to sign for the Villans in January as he did not want to depart from his current club midway through the campaign.

It is stated that the Midlands outfit are unlikely to be put off by the winter rejection and are set to revive their interest in the Bilbao gem, who has a £50m release clause, heading into the summer.

Nico Williams is Wilfried Zaha 2.0

Emery could land his own version of Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha for Villa by securing a deal to sign the forward he is ‘desperate’ to sign – Williams.

The current Premier League winger, who plays for Patrick Vieira’s side, has been a consistent performer over the years to keep the Eagles in the top-flight.

Since the start of the 2016/17 campaign, the forward has hit double figures for goals and assists combined in five of his six full league seasons, whilst the gem is already on eight this term.

Zaha has scored ten or more goals in three of the last four full Premier League campaigns and proven himself to be a reliable goalscorer and creator from a wide position for Palace.

FBref lists the Ivorian international as one of the most similar players to the Bilbao star based on their respective statistics over the last 365 days, with both players ranking in the top 30% of wingers in Europe for take-ons completed and touches in the opposition’s box per 90 – showing that they are both direct forward who want to make things happen in the final third.

This season, Williams (5.8) and Zaha (5.7) have accrued similar xG numbers – combined non-penalty xG and xAG – and this suggests that they provide a similar level of threat in the final third, in terms of the positions they take up to score for themselves and the quality of chances they create for others, which is reflected in the xG and xAG (the quality of chances they shoot from and create) numbers, via FBref.

The Spanish forward, 20, has not proven himself over the course of a number of seasons but his return of six goals and six assists in 25 appearances for Bilbao this season shows that the gem is on the right path to becoming Zaha 2.0.

Williams, who was described as being “on fire” by scout Jacek Kulig earlier this term, could be Villa’s own version of the Palace star by coming in and regularly delivering goals and assists, whilst also being direct and a constant attacking threat in the opposition box, if he can adapt to Premier League football and remain consistent with his end product.

In-form Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is now close to signing a new contract at the club, journalist Rudy Galetti has claimed.

The Lowdown: Sensational season for Rashford

The 25-year-old looked completely out of sorts at times last season, but this time around, he has undoubtedly found the best form of his career to date.

Rashford has been one of the Premier League’s standout players in 2022/23, scoring nine goals and registering three assists in the competition, including 10 overall since the 2022 World Cup.

The Englishman’s current deal expires next year, however, highlighting the need for United to tie down his future.

The Latest: New deal close

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Galetti claimed that an extension is now close to being agreed:

“Based on what I know, Marcus Rashford is close to extending his contract with Manchester United. The Red Devils put a deal on the table, a long-term future proposal with his current salary.

“Rashford is now convinced that he’s making the right choice to renew at Manchester United, as confirmed by Erik ten Hag a few weeks ago.”

The Verdict: As big as any signing

This is clearly great news for United, with Rashford someone who is going to play an enormous part in the club’s future, having been hailed as ‘spectacular’ by Casemiro.

At 25, the hope is that the £200,000-a-week attacker’s best years are still ahead of him, and his all-round game becomes even more polished, he could become one of the world’s leading attackers.

Rashford’s resurgence is also a timely reminder to supporters that footballers are human and can suffer both good and spells, with some arguably even willing to see him leave Old Trafford last year.

This has been a devastating season from him, however, and it would now be a huge shock if he didn’t sign a new contract, as he looks to add to his 111 United goals.

Nottingham Forest will do ‘everything’ to keep forward Brennan Johnson this summer, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Standout performer

The Telegraph report that the Midlands outfit turned down an £18m club-record offer from now top-flight rivals Brentford in January 2022, which resulted in the 21-year-old putting pen to paper on a new contract later that year.

The Wales international has worked his way up through the academy ranks at The City Ground from the U18s side to now becoming a regular feature for the first team, where he has been praised by countryman Steve Cooper for his impact in the Premier League.

The Reds boss has shared that he’s set his attacker the challenge of developing other aspects of his game aside from goalscoring, which will only improve his all-round skill-set even further.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones revealed that Forest are super keen to retain Johnson’s services in the long term, and suggested that he is one player who they will want to shape their team around.

“There’s been, obviously, so much upheaval that they need to try and have some consistency in their line-up, and this turnover of players obviously has to stop at some point.

“They don’t want to lose him, and I think they’ll do everything to keep him at the club for at least another year.”

The Verdict: Keep hold of him

Johnson has been described as a player who’s ‘easy on the eye’ by his former Lincoln City manager Michael Appleton, and Forest need to do everything they can to keep hold of him for the foreseeable future.

The Nottingham-born talent has posted 37 goal contributions in 88 senior appearances for his side and currently ranks in the 88th percentile for most progressive carries per game, highlighting his prolific impact and desire to make a difference in the final third.

Rob Page’s 18-cap international also offers Cooper plenty of versatility with his ability to operate in four different positions, which is an impressive attribute to have at such a young age.

Johnson will undoubtedly have a significant role to play in Forest’s fight to stay up for the remainder of the campaign and it’s important that they do because it wouldn’t be long until potential suitors started circling should they get relegated.

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to look at bringing in another central midfielder in the summer having brought in a defender and forward in January.

What’s the latest?

Spurs were able to bring in two new senior players for Antonio Conte’s squad over the January transfer market with Pedro Porro and Arnaut Danjuma landing in north London.

However, no midfielders were brought in through the door following the arrival of Yves Bissouma over the summer and Spurs keen to keep ahold of youngster Pape Matar Sarr.

But looking ahead to the summer, it has been suggested this could be an area where the Lilywhites look to add some further quality with reports suggesting centre-backs are the main priority for the summer.

Indeed, speaking on The Tottenham Way podcast, journalist Tom Allnutt has claimed this may be the case when discussing the club’s long-standing interest in the – now Leeds United – midfielder Weston McKennie:

(42:15) “Tottenham will probably look to try and get a central midfielder in the summer where they might spend a bit more, where they’re a bit more convinced, where they think they tick more boxes and probably, I think in the end, McKennie didn’t really fit the bill for a stopgap probably too expensive. Isn’t kind of the short-term fix like Danjuma for example.”

Room for improvement

There is seemingly a lack of creativity coming from the Tottenham midfield with their two starting options, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur, their only source of creativity.

The pair have both been able to provide five goals each in the Premier League this season, and between them, they have six assists thus far.

However, in comparison to a player like Kevin De Bruyne, these types of numbers are fairly inadequate and could potentially be boosted by a more forward-thinking option.

The arrival of Bissouma is yet to pay off with the Mali midfielder struggling under Antonio Conte to establish himself in the starting XI.

Although Bissouma was hardly prolific during his time at Brighton & Hove Albion, he is yet to get his career at Spurs up and running in the 24 appearances made for the Lilywhites.

Given Conte’s main three midfielders are mainly defensive-minded players, perhaps adding a creative option over the summer would prove a big benefit for Spurs going forward.

Spurs saw their former player, Christian Eriksen, move to Manchester United last summer and he has shone during his time at Old Trafford.

The Dane has already picked up seven assists in the Premier League alone and has showcased what Spurs could have had if they pursued the 30-year-old further.

But perhaps this is the type of player Spurs should be looking to sign in the summer.

Journalist John Gibson has admitted he’d be shocked if Newcastle United don’t sell Allan Saint-Maximin this summer.

The Lowdown: Future looks very unclear

After a blistering start to the season which saw Saint-Maximin register three goal involvements in the opening four games, his injuries have seen him restricted to very few minutes and just the one league start since August.

In that sole start last weekend against West Ham, he failed to grasp his chance and showed how rusty he was, with just one successful take-on and one progressive pass in the 68 minutes he was afforded (FBref).

Given that Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon can both play out wide, were Eddie Howe’s signings and cost a lot more money than Saint-Maximin, the Frenchman’s future is now looking bleak.

The Latest: Beginning of the end for Saint-Maximin

Amid emerging reports suggesting AC Milan were in talks with Saint-Maximin during January and could move again in the summer, Gibson claimed he would not be surprised if he left at the end of the season.

Speaking on the Everything is Black and White podcast he said: “Well, remember, I said to you that I think somebody’s been in his ear.

“Everything about Maxi, his body language, tells me that I will be staggered if he’s here come August.”

The Verdict: Saint-Maximin set for the exit door

Considering that a huge club such as AC Milan are said to be interested in the winger, it could be difficult to keep him focused on the here and now with Newcastle, especially when he’s not even a regular starter anymore.

Saint-Maximin has gone from being one of the first names on the teamsheet under Steve Bruce to now being used more often than not as an impact substitute to get after tiring defenders.

However, PIF will only sell Saint-Maximin for the correct price, as he is likely seen as one of their more sellable assets, especially with him tied down until the summer of 2026. Therefore, any club wanting the winger will certainly have to pay a premium.

That said, we agree that the signs are the Frenchman may not be on Tyneside for much longer.