Tottenham Hotspur fans could not believe their eyes as they threw away a two-goal lead to draw against Southampton to dent their top-four hopes in a performance where a number of players were below-par.

A number of Spurs stars have come in for criticism this season including Emerson Royal, but one defender in particular stood out today after a horror-show display where he was culpable for two of Southampton’s goals.

Barcelona loanee Clement Lenglet has been disappointing since his arrival in the summer, but this performance had fans questioning why the club had even bothered to sign the France international.

Playing on the left side of the back three, Lenglet was caught out of position as Che Adams equalised at the start of the second half, and was nowhere to be seen as Theo Walcott pulled another goal back for the hosts.

Lenglet ranks in the bottom 7% of centre-backs in Europe’s top competitions over the past year for clearances, as well as in the bottom 40% for interceptions and blocks, as per FBref. Whilst he ranks highly for his ability on the ball, his defensive frailties have proven to be costly yet again.

Antonio Conte even shouted at the centre-back during the second half – something fans were quick to notice as even the Italian is losing patience with the defender he signed in the summer.

Spurs fans have seemingly had enough of the 27-year-old, and it appears there is very little desire to see his loan move made permanent. The best of the reactions can be seen below…

Journalist Charles Watts has claimed that Declan Rice may no longer be keen on a transfer to Chelsea for three key reasons amid talk of a summer move.

What’s the latest on Declan Rice to Chelsea?

It's no secret that the Englishman is likely going to leave this summer, and a number of top Premier League clubs look to be in the race to land his signature.

Among those are Chelsea – the club Rice played for as a youngster before leaving when he was 14 years of age. He is known to be good friends with Mason Mount, but his England teammate may be leaving this summer amid contract issues and links to Liverpool.

If the West Ham United star does leave, he will surely do so for a Champions League club, with the 23-year-old previously stating that's the level he wants to be playing at

While talking about all this on his YouTube channel, Arsenal correspondent Watts explained why a move to Chelsea may longer be quite so "appealing" to Rice as it once was.

He said: "It's looking very unlikely – unless they go on and win it – they're going to be able to offer Champions League football, which is one of the big reasons that Declan Rice wants to leave West Ham now.

"We're not sure if Mason Mount's going to stay at Chelsea. He's obviously Declan Rice's really, really good mate. If he leaves, maybe that will stop [making] Chelsea quite so attractive to him.

"Whether he'd be willing to accept an eight-year contract as well – while that's appealing to some, it's certainly not appealing to others.

"So there's lots of reasons why potentially Chelsea isn't looking anywhere near as likely when it comes to Declan Rice as it did just a year ago."

Why would Declan Rice not want a Chelsea transfer?

Watts certainly is right on one front. Chelsea currently sit 10th in the Premier League with just 11 games to play. If they want to finish in the top four, they'll need to close the 11-point gap between them and the last Champions League spot with some incredible displays.

According to reports, Rice currently earns around £60,000 per week, but that will surely increase dramatically if he is to leave the Hammers in what could be a deal worth more than £100m.

Todd Boehly may well have that sort of money, and if he was to land the Englishman, he'd quite likely want to tie him to a long-term contract judging by the Blues' recent activity in that regard. However, that's been an issue with Mount – who supposedly doesn't want to commit to the club amid talk of a deal up for as much as eight years being tabled, and so Rice may feel equally hesitant.

Consequently, with no Champions League football, Mount, or a reasonable contract offer waiting for him at Chelsea, perhaps the 23-year-old will end up elsewhere.

Sunderland could look to reward another one of their young prospects with a new deal as Dennis Cirkin could follow in the steps of Dan Neil.

Who could Sunderland offer a new deal next?

Neil was recently rewarded with a bumper new deal which is set to see his contractual stay at the Stadium of Light through until 2026.

Another player whose contract situation is being questioned is star striker Ross Stewart, who is set to enter the final 12 months of his deal in over the summer.

However, there are a number of young players who could also see themselves rewarded with a new contract offer as Tony Mowbray's side look to seal the future of their stars of the future.

Speaking on The Roar podcast, journalist Phil Smith has suggested that 20-year-old left-back Cirkin could be one of the next players to be offered a new deal with the club will be looking at:

"I doubt it's [Dan Ballard] at the top of their list in terms of, I think Cirkin will certainly be one that they're looking at because with one year left, that's not an ideal situation being Stewart is the big priority."

Does Cirkin deserve a new deal?

The 20-year-old has now been playing his football on Wearside for two years having made the move from the Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur.

And in that time, the left-back has been able to rack up 63 appearances for the Black Cats where he's returned two goals and three assists (via Transfermarkt).

But much like Stewart, Cirkin will enter the final 12 months of his contract over the summer which could leave the club with a decision to make on his future.

However, it seems as if the club are also keen to secure his services on Wearside following reports suggesting he could be receiving interest from his former club.

The youngster's game time in the Championship has been halted recently after he suffered a concussion back in February during the game against Rotherham United.

Injuries have been a bit of a problem for the England youth international this season and the fitness issues have limited him to just 22 appearances in the Championship.

But 16 of those have come from the starting XI which does indicate that – when fit – he is one of the main options at the Stadium of Light.

Having also earned the praise of Kevin Phillips, it seems as if this is a player who could have a key role to play at Sunderland for the years to come:

“Left-back is a specialist position and you need someone like him in that role. He deserves huge credit for the way he’s started the season,” Phillips said back in 2021.

Chelsea look as if they could have another gem on their hands in Ian Maatsen, as the 21-year-old left-back is helping inspire Burnley to promotion from the Championship.

Although Graham Potter already has Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella available to him at left-back, the Dutchman's fantastic performances so far this season suggest that he could be an excellent heir to the Englishman as a starter at Stamford Bridge.

Who is Ian Maatsen?

Chelsea would sign Maatsen from PSV Eindhoven in the summer of 2018 after scouting him for the Eredivisie side and with the U16 Netherlands national team.

After impressing with the Blues' academy sides, the young defender would sign his first professional contract in March 2019 and later made his senior debut when he was just 17, featuring in Chelsea's 7-1 win against Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup.

He has since enjoyed loan spells with Charlton Athletic in League One and Coventry City in the Championship, before returning to the second tier again last summer to sign for Vincent Kompany's Burnley.

During his time at Coventry, the Chelsea youngster would earn a huge amount of praise from teammate Simon Moore, in his interview with The Athletic.

He said:

"In Maats’ case, the good certainly outweighs any bad. It says a lot about how good he is that even a slightly off day stands out as exceptional. It is not normal.

“The kid is bright, he’s hugely talented, he wants to learn, and he never gives up."

He has certainly proven himself as ready to play in the Premier League with his displays at Burnley this season, as the Dutch defender boasts four goals and six assists in 31 league appearances, with WhoScored awarding him a strong 7.04 rating for his performances in the second tier.

With Kompany's side almost nailed on to win the title, it would not be a surprise to see them try to sign Maatsen permanently in the summer but Potter must ensure that he remains at Stamford Bridge, as his performances suggest that he could be the ideal long-term heir to Chilwell.

Could Maatsen replace Chilwell at Chelsea?

The former Leicester City man has struggled with injuries during his time at Stamford Bridge but is enjoying a strong run of form with the Blues at the moment, with two goals and two assists to his name in 15 appearances.

However, he has been linked with a Stamford Bridge exit in recent weeks and Cucurella's disappointing performances since joining from Brighton suggest that the Spaniard might not be the ideal replacement in Potter's squad.

Therefore, with Maatsen showcasing his attacking qualities with the likely Championship title-winners, Potter should look to integrate him into Chelsea's first team in the summer, ahead of what will hopefully be a much-improved 2023/24 campaign for the Blues.

Joel and Avram Glazer are the only two of the six siblings who aren't fully behind a total takeover of Manchester United, according to journalist Alex Crook.

Are the Glazers selling Man Utd?

The Red Devils are enjoying a good season on the pitch, with a chance of winning three trophies realistically still on offer currently, but there is plenty of drama off the field. In recent weeks, reports have been dominated by talk of a takeover at Old Trafford, with the Glazers potentially selling up.

Both Sheikh Jassim Bin Al Thani in Qatar and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are believed to have tabled £5bn bids for United but have been thwarted in their efforts to date, with the current owners holding firm with a price tag of £6bn.

What's going on with Joel and Avram Glazer?

Speaking on talkSPORT on Monday, Crook provided the latest on the matter, saying the last week was "chaos" with the changing bid deadlines, but also revealing something new – Joel and Avram Glazer have a different stance to the rest of the family:

“I think it remains to be seen if the Glazers remain committed to a full takeover of the football club, I’m not sure they are. Joel and Avram Glazer, the two who are the focal point, I think their preferred option is minority investment.

"We know the Elliott Group are willing to come in and provide funds for a small investment. Joel and Avram, their main focus appears to be raising some funds for a partial buyout than sell the whole football club. The sticking point is there are six siblings who have shares in the football club, the other four all want to go through with a 100 per cent sale.

“It’s still all up in the air, will there be a third round of bids? Will there be a period of exclusivity either for Sheikh Jassim or Sir Jim Ratcliffe? At this stage that looks unlikely, but we need some answers soon.”

This is an interesting update and does perhaps go to show why things are moving so slowly regarding the potential takeover of United. It looks as though the Glazer family still can't come to an agreement, and should that continue to be the case, it is hard to see anything changing soon.

Red Devils supporters would of course prefer to see all involvement regarding the Glazers completely disappear, in order to bring in a complete new era at the club and get rid of owners who have largely proved to be unpopular overall.

Liverpool reportedly remain interested in making a move for Inter Milan and Italy midfielder Nicolo Barella during the summer transfer window.

How is Barella faring this season?

The 26-year-old has arguably been one of the best midfielders in Serie A for a number of years now, producing consistently influential performances for Inter. This season, he has scored five goals and registered six assists in 25 league starts, as well as having an 85% pass completion rate.

Barella's current Inter deal may not expire until the summer of 2026, but that hasn't stopped speculation emerging regarding his future, with a potential new challenge coming his way at the end of the season. Liverpool have been linked with a move for him a number of times recently, as they eye up major reinforcements in the middle of the park.

The Reds' midfield has been a huge issue throughout this season, with the likes of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson looking past their best, and significant additions need to be made in that area if Jurgen Klopp's men are to get back to the level they used to be.

Now, an update has emerged focusing on Barella, with Liverpool again looking like the front-runners to potentially snap him up this summer.

Will Barella join Liverpool this summer?

According to Calciomercato [via Sport Witness], the Reds' interest in Barella "undoubtedly stands out" above other clubs, seemingly making them the favourites to acquire his services. It is claimed that either he or teammate Marcelo Brozovic will leave Inter at the end of the current campaign.

This is one of the most important summer transfer windows in Liverpool's recent history, with so much important transfer business to be done and funds simply have to be made available by owners FSG.

In Barella, the Reds could have a perfect midfield option to sign, with the 43-cap Italy international a fantastic all-round midfielder who was once hailed as "sensational" by journalist Maxi Angelo. His aforementioned end product this season is proof that he can chip in with goals and assists from midfield, while an average of 1.7 tackles per game in the Champions League also shows that he is effective in his off-the-ball work.

If Liverpool managed to sign both Barella and Jude Bellingham this summer – that could be difficult in a financial sense, in truth – it could have the potential to transform the entire team, adding life to the midfield and suddenly getting more out of all the players around them.

Liverpool return to domestic duty following the recent international break, and they face Manchester City this afternoon in what should ordinarily be a blockbuster Premier League clash.

This season however, the Anfield side have struggled majorly and have nothing to play for aside from trying to secure fourth spot in the league, whereas City are chasing glory on three fronts.

The Reds haven’t won since their famous 7-0 hammering of Manchester United at the beginning of March, being defeated by AFC Bournemouth and Real Madrid and Jurgen Klopp would surely have preferred a slightly less arduous task in order to get his side's confidence back up heading into the final few weeks of the season.

There will be plenty of changes from the defeat to the La Liga side, with Klopp switching things up in order to give his team the best possible chance of securing a crucial three points.

As such, we at Football FanCast have predicted the Liverpool starting XI that will take to the Etihad pitch this afternoon.

What will Liverpool’s XI look like against Manchester City?

4-3-3 – Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Elliott, Henderson, Fabinho; Salah, Gakpo, Nunez

Alisson will of course start in goal, making his 28th consecutive start in the league this term, and he will be aiming to keep just his tenth clean sheet.

The back four will remain unchanged from the Champions League loss a couple of weeks ago. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson will take up their usual positions on the right and left-hand side of the defence, with Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate forming the core of the defence.

The midfield three will comprise Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Harvey Elliott, with Klopp making a couple of changes. Elliott – valued at €33.1m (£29m) by Football Transfers – will be looked upon to try and add something different to the midfield. Football writer Leanne Prescott lavished praise on him earlier this season, saying: “No matter where he is on the pitch, he makes things happen" – suggesting that the Englishman could make the difference.

Mohamed Salah and Darwen Nunez will likely flank striker Cody Gakpo, who returns to a central berth following a midfield appearance against Madrid. This will mean Diogo Jota drops to the bench having looked "sloppy" against Los Blancos, according to GOAL's Neil Jones, as Klopp deploys his strongest starting XI available to him.

The 55-year-old will be aiming to defeat City for the third time this campaign – including in the Community Shield – and if this team plays to their very best, then they have a wonderful chance of achieving this.

Arsenal have eclipsed the usual standards this season, flourishing under the tutelage of Mikel Arteta and finally forging a title-chasing campaign after nearly two decades without a taste of the Premier League trophy.

Boasting a remarkable 69 points after 28 matches, eight points clear of holding champions Manchester City, the Gunners are absolutely flying, with the progress on the pitch the reward of diligent and well-placed action on the transfer front since the Spaniard manager took the reins in 2019.

Indeed, Arsenal have made some exquisite signings to craft the cohesive outfit, with the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey and Gabriel Malhagaes just a few of the first-team stars to have been acquired since Arteta's arrival.

With the new era set to be sustained after a woeful period in the club's illustrious history that has left the Emirates Stadium mere observers of the Champions League for six successive seasons, it is a wonder that long-time stalwart Mohamed Elneny remains on the books, especially given the peripheral figure that he has cut for multiple years now.

Should Arsenal ditch Elneny?

Having signed for Arsenal from Swiss outfit FC Basel for a paltry fee of roughly £5m in 2016, Elneny has made 155 appearances for his north London outfit, scoring six goals and serving ten assists.

The £55k-per-week ace has been plagued with injury troubles and failed to ever cement a sustained role in the starting line-up, instead utilised as a sturdy squad player, efficient with his precise passing and control from his central midfield deployment.

While Elneny has been a solid option when fit, hailed as "brilliant" by Ian Wright, who was speaking to Premier League Productions, he has missed 28 matches due to fitness struggles this season alone.

Considering he has failed to really scratch the surface in north London, Elneny has actually cost the club about £21m since his signing in January 2016, combining the salary accumulation over the six years and the fee paid to Basel.

With Arsenal indeed on the rise, it feels somewhat like Elneny has been left behind, especially considering the injury-stricken 30-year-old has made just one start in the Premier League all season.

And despite ranking among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's big five leagues over the past year for pass completion, as per FBref, his composure with the ball of his feet is a trait that Arteta and co will feel can be utilised with the right acquisition.

Once branded "dreadful" by Rob Wilson, that may feel somewhat harsh, but nonetheless, it appears Elneny's time at Arsenal has run its course.

While he is a popular figure at the club, his inclusion in the ambitious Arteta's future plans would only be a detriment to the forthcoming endeavours.

Tottenham's pursuit of a top-four berth come the end of the season took a big hit on Monday evening as a scintillating late strike from Michael Keane ensured the spoils were shared at Goodison Park.

A 1-1 draw with Everton came about in typical 'Spursy' fashion with the ghost of Antonio Conte's tenure in north London still lingering around the playing squad.

That can hardly be a surprise, however, with Conte's two trusty lieutenants in Cristian Stellini and Ryan Mason now in control of the ship.

Spurs were largely toothless from an attacking point of view again with the fourth-place side in the Premier League relying on a Harry Kane penalty against an outfit playing with ten men for large parts of the game.

Heung-min Son's role as a "passenger" – in the words of journalist Charlie Gordon – hardly helped matters either.

Indeed, the South Korean has been a shadow of his former self this term, bagging just six league goals in 27 outings. His outing at Goodison rather summed up his dire campaign, losing the ball every three touches and taking no shots on goal, as per Sofascore.

The subject of attention from the boo boys due to his unfortunate leg-breaking tackle on Andre Gomes several years ago, it was a night of very few positives for him. That said, the 30-year-old's partner in crime down the left, Ivan Perisic, was just as bad.

How did Perisic play against Everton?

The Croatian looked like a bargain pick-up last summer when he arrived on a free transfer, albeit on a large £180k-per-week contract.

Unfortunately, the former World Cup finalist is yet to truly justify those wages having had to wait until the 3-3 draw with Southampton prior to the international break for his first Spurs goal.

Afforded the opportunity to start against Sean Dyche's relegation-threatened side, Tottenham supporters were hoping for another influential performance.

Sadly, they got everything but that. Indeed, the ex-Inter wing-back was in poor form with Stellini's left side notably being dubbed a "complete joke" by The Athletic's James Maw.

Indeed, Maw noted that Perisic was barely "able to move after the 47th minute", with that perhaps an indication of his age.

Not that the Croat isn't in shape, but at 34, he is certainly in the last knockings of his career at the elite level.

That was perhaps best summed up by the defender's lack of composure in possession of the ball, losing the ball on 20 occasions throughout the night.

Although that was a sign of his inviting and "dangerous" crosses – as alluded to by Alasdair Gold – it was overall a wasteful night for the 6 foot 1 asset.

Writing in his post-match player ratings, the aforementioned Gold handed the Croatia international just a 4/10, while noting that Perisic 'lost much of his impact' after those balls into the box during the early parts of the encounter.

Although handed a 7.4 rating via Sofascore, this was rather generous with Perisic failing to truly stamp his authority over proceedings.

He completed just 78% of his passes while both shot attempts were fired off target on a night where Stellini and co really just needed a bigger threat going forward.

With Ben Davies set for a spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, Perisic will have an opportunity to improve and indeed, he must do so quickly if Spurs are to stay in contention for a Champions League spot.

Wolves right-back Nelson Semedo is expected to leave the club at the end of the season if they are relegated from the Premier League, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Wolves battling for survival

The international break is currently in full swing, prior to domestic action returning next weekend ahead of the business end of the 2022/23 season.

For Wolves, it looks set to be a critical period for them between now and May, as they desperately battle for their Premier League survival along with a host of other clubs.

Wanderers have battled to jump to 13th place in the table, as things stand, giving them a three-point cushion above the relegation zone, but there is still a huge amount of work to be done.

Another poor run of form could easily see Julen Lopetegui’s side back in deep trouble and their 4-2 loss at home to Leeds United last time around was a terrible result.

Should Wolves suffer relegation to the Championship in May, it could lead to an exodus of top players, with the likes of Ruben Neves and Adama Traore constantly linked with a move away.

Now, a fresh update has emerged regarding the future of another Wanderers hero.

The Latest: Semedo could leave

According to Football Insider, Semedo will quit if Wolves go down this season, even though they will reportedly trigger the two-year extension on his current deal that expires in the summer.

The reason to extend his deal is in order to ‘protect’ his price tag, should a bid arrive during the summer transfer window.

It is even stated that Wolves will ‘sound out interest’ in Semedo in the result of relegation, with ‘top European sides’ potentially keen on signing him.

The Verdict: Makes perfect sense

The hope is that relegation is avoided and Semedo continues as a Wolves player for another few years, having been hailed as ‘unbelievable’ by journalist Tim Spiers back in 2021.

Wanderers taking this stance makes perfect sense, however, putting them in a strong bargaining position and ensuring they don’t lose the 24-cap Portugal international on a free transfer.

Semedo has continued to be an important player this season, starting 21 and appearing in 26 league matches and averaging 2.1 tackles per game in the competition.

The 29-year-old’s experience will be vital in these remaining weeks of the season, and come August, he will hopefully still be in an Old Gold shirt and playing in the Premier League.