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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets… 

West Ham’s trouble in attack persisted against Sheffield United but one man who continues to shine is Andriy Yarmolenko, and he is fast becoming a reliable figure for Manuel Pellegrini.

The Hammers played out a 1-1 draw against the Blades, meaning they have scored just 12 goals in ten league games as they failed to make their dominance of possession count, with 61% of the ball resulting in just four shots on target.

Robert Snodgrass’ goal came after a rare lapse of concentration in the Blades’ defence, but also as a result of brilliant awareness from Yarmolenko, who slipped in the Scot to slot the ball home in the first half.

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It was the first assist the Ukraine international has produced this season but that is surprising given his xG stats, which indicate that his teammates may have let him down in that area – as he should have three to his name in the league.

Other than that, the winger has been in fine form, and certainly one of the stand-out attackers in his team, with Manuel Lanzini and Felipe Anderson underperforming by contrast, as both have failed to find the net so far this season.

He was West Ham’s biggest attacking threat on Saturday, as his stats from WhoScored depict, with his four key passes underlining how he was able to create chances for his teammates.

To make things more worrying for Pellegrini, the Hammers seem to be becoming more reliant on his contribution, with Sebastien Haller and Robert Snodgrass’ two key passes each the next best in that area.

That highlights the lack of creativity but also the need for Yarmolenko, and that could hinder Michail Antonio when he eventually returns from his injury lay-off.

The 29-year-old has only managed 0.7 key passes per game in each of the last three seasons, and his rate of scoring goals and producing assists has made him something of a fan favourite in east London.

Antonio has featured often under the Chilean when fit but Yarmolenko is proving game after game that he is amongst the team’s most important players, and therefore he looks likely to retain his place.

However, it should be viewed as a positive, as it means there is competition for places which is lacking in other areas of the squad, such as up-front and in centre-midfield, and the pressure on his place could lead to even better performances from Yarmolenko.

Liverpool visit Aston Villa on Saturday and Jurgen Klopp should make a couple of changes to enhance his team’s chances of winning.

The Reds have barely put a foot wrong this season but there have been signs in the last few league games that they aren’t quite at their fluid best.

They struggled to break down both Manchester United and Sheffield United in their previous two league away games and though Villa are less resolute defensively than those two sides, Liverpool should do what they can to add to their attack.

A key change which could help that is continuing with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in midfield. The 26-year-old put in an impressive display against Arsenal midweek and now has three goals from his last two starts – two of which were brilliant strikes.

He offers the ability to drive forward with the ball – averaging 1.1 successful dribbles per game – and that makes him hard to stop but also opens up space for the front-three, which could be vital in getting the best out of Roberto Firmino, who has dipped a little recently and is without a goal or assist in his last four league games.

With that in mind, here’s how Liverpool should line-up at Villa Park.

The other noticeable change is Joe Gomez coming in for Dejan Lovren. It is an area that Klopp can’t seem to make a decision on – since Joel Matip’s injury he has rotated between the two.

Dejan Lovren had featured in Liverpool’s last two games prior to the League Cup clash with Arsenal but he came under fire for his performance against Spurs from supporters, which may well give Klopp something to think about.

Find out who is each Premier League club’s biggest bargain in the video below…Find out who is each Premier League club’s biggest bargain in the video below…

Against Spurs he was arguably at fault for Harry Kane’s goal and he almost cost Liverpool a second by allowing Heung-Min Son to get the better of him.

The Reds cannot afford such vulnerability at the back, and although Gomez has also drawn criticism from fans for his performance against Arsenal, he does at least offer natural comfort when in possession to the extent that he can also be utilised as a right-back, which could make all the difference against a Villa side that will almost certainly sit deep.

Against the Gunners he completed 13 long passes, and if he is able to perform to a similar level on Saturday then he could create chances for the front three, or at least find them in strong attacking positions.

That could be important to unlocking the Villans defence as well as giving the England international valuable game time.

Many Liverpool fans have been voicing their thoughts on what must change with the Premier League’s use of VAR after several key incidents from the latest round of fixtures, including their encounter with Aston Villa.

Jurgen Klopp’s Reds fell behind in the 21st-minute at Villa Park through a tap-in at the back post by Trezeguet, after the Virtual Assistant Referee deemed there to be no offsides in the build-up to his strike, despite several Villans standing beyond the last defender when the free-kick was taken.

The Anfield natives also saw a goal of their own chalked off the board before they would go on to equalise, with Roberto Firmino adjudged to have been in an offside position through his armpit, as the Brazilian’s outstretched arm appeared to edge marginally ahead of Tyrone Mings’ knee.

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Everton’s meeting with Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park on Sunday also put the spotlight on the VAR protocol in place by the Premier League, with Toffees boss Marco Silva demanding a review after several controversial decisions.

Play was stopped for around three minutes to review a potential penalty for handball in the second-half, but no spot-kick was given after it was decided that Dele Alli’s arm did not make illegal contact with the ball.

VAR had already been called on several times at Goodison Park for checks to be carried out, too, with one incident for a potential Spurs penalty being reviewed twice.

The current procedures in place are dividing fans around the country, and some Liverpool supporters have been debating what can be changed to improve VAR – with some suggesting to outright get rid of it!

Here are some of the messages shared…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to Calciomercato, Crystal Palace are ‘following’ Wolfsburg striker Wout Weghorst, who is enjoying a decent campaign with the German side.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the three-cap Netherlands international has found the back of the net eight times in all competitions for Wolfsburg this season, including five goals in ten Bundesliga games.

The forward, who is a shade under 6 foot 6, has been likened to Edin Dzeko by the official Bundesliga website, who detail that Weghorst’s excellent hold-up play, tireless work-rate and willingness to pass to teammates in better positions is vastly similar to the former Manchester City striker’s playing style.

The 27-year-old also has three assists this season, and appears to be a real powerhouse of a frontman.

Two reasons why Palace should avoid a move

At first glance, it doesn’t seem like a terrible idea to sign Weghorst given the aforementioned detail.

However, there are two reasons why the south Londoners should steer clear of a deal.

Firstly, this article by The Athletic reveals that Palace chairman Steve Parish and Sporting Director Dougie Freedman are keen to bring in players who are in their early 20s, with a view to the club’s future.

“The sporting director, Dougie Freedman, and chairman, Steve Parish, were also acutely aware of the relatively hefty average age of the squad. There is a desire to bring in more players in their early 20s with an eye to the future.”

With that transfer vision in mind, it would be contradictory to go and sign a striker who is three years away from his 30th birthday – of all the players in Palace’s first-team squad, only Max Meyer, Wilfried Zaha, Jeffrey Schlupp and the injury-stricken Connor Wickham are under the age of 28.

The second reason is the fact that the south Londoners simply can’t afford to take anymore gambles on players with no Premier League experience.

For example, Alexander Sorloth looked like an exciting addition when he signed from FC Midtjylland back in January 2018, having scored 15 goals in 26 games prior to joining the Eagles.

However, the Norway international scored just once in 20 games before being shipped out on loan.

Palace already have Christian Benteke and Wickham in their ranks, both of whom have failed to score this term, while previous forwards of theirs such as Kevin Doyle, Shola Ameobi, Patrick Bamford and Yaya Sanogo failed miserably – having scored just ten times in 11 Premier League games this season, Palace can’t afford to gamble on a player with no proved pedigree in England and be left burdened with another flop.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo, via Sport Witness, Wolverhampton Wanderers face stiff competition from both Manchester clubs over the signing of Benfica centre-back Ruben Dias this January.

What’s the word?

Wolves’ interest in the rising star has been well documented since the summer as The Athletic’s club correspondent Tim Spiers first revealed the links back in July.

But by August’s transfer deadline, any deal was reportedly ‘off’ the table according to the Express & Star.

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However, it does now appear that the west Midlands club may chance their arm in January, but they’ll have to battle two Premier League heavyweights in Manchester City and Manchester United.

O Jogo claim that the 22-year-old has a release clause of €66m (£56.5m), so any club wanting to sign the promising Portuguese starlet is going to have to splash the cash.

Last piece of the defensive puzzle

Dias was once described as ‘one of the best in the world for his role’ by Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira in an interview with Tuttosport via Football Italia.

This only goes to show just how big a coup this would be for Wolves.

It could also allow manager Nuno Santo to complete his Premier League defence as when Willy Boly is fit, a back three containing these two and captain Conor Coady has to be in the elite conversation.

In the short term, it is a position that vitally needs strength as the 28-year-old faces a substantial amount of time out through injury.

Dias has made 17 appearances in all competitions this season, recording eight clean sheets in the Primeira Liga, per Transfermarkt.

Wolves’ quest to sign the Portugal international may be aided by Benfica’s likely exit from the Champions League too, they currently sit bottom of Group G, which would mean they won’t even drop into the Europa League’s knockout stages.

Nuno’s side have one foot in the next round as they hold a five-point cushion over third place in their group.

Some Liverpool fans have been discussing the idea of bringing Sander Berge to the club and many of them are hoping to see the Norwegian at Anfield.

Berge has been in impressive form for Genk this season and has played in 20 games so far for the Belgian giants, scoring twice from midfield.

The 21-year-old has also been a regular for Norway over the past year and helped his country finish third in Group F of the European qualifiers.

Given that he has emerged as a transfer target for Tottenham Hotspur in the past, it seems that Berge is beginning to establish himself as one of the most coveted youngsters on the continent.

It does seem like some Liverpool fans want this deal to go through, as one fan alluded to Berge’s defensive nature within Genk’s setup.

The supporter stated that the defensive midfielder could be a backup for Fabinho or perhaps even a replacement for Adam Lallana.

Another fan said he is “ridiculously talented” and hopes that Jurgen Klopp can get the deal over the line.

Here’s what some of the Liverpool faithful have had to say on sealing his signature…

Having scored just 16 times in their opening 12 Premier League games this season, it has been little surprise to see Manchester United reportedly target a new striker in the upcoming January transfer window.

The Red Devils have been criticised by former legends like Paul Scholes for making a “mistake” in letting Romelu Lukaku go in the summer, and it appears they are intent on addressing that issue as soon as they can.

In the latest report from ESPN, it is suggested United are keen on taking AS Roma striker Edin Dzeko to Old Trafford, and that his previous experience in the Premier League with Manchester City is a particularly attractive proposition.

It further adds the Bosnian has moved ahead of Mario Mandzukic in the short-list of striker options, and that Ed Woodward is ready to “sanction the signing of a seasoned forward”.

After hearing their links to the 33-year-old, United fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on their rumoured target.

Many supporters of the Manchester side insisted that he would be a poor signing for the club, and that he would be a significant step down from some of the other names that have recently been linked like Erling Braut Haaland for example.

Check out some of the reaction of United fans below:

Manchester United fans do not have much confidence going into the Manchester derby next month even though City striker Sergio Aguero is set to miss the game at the Etihad.

The two sides will face each on December 7th and the Red Devils have not had the best of fortunes against their local rivals in recent years. United have lost three out of the last five meetings with the Citizens and were beaten home and away last season versus Pep Guardiola’s side, who went on to win the Premier League.

The Spanish manager revealed in his press conference that Aguero is set to be out for “a few weeks” and added that the Argentina international will “need a miracle” to be fit for the tie against their hated neighbours.

Aguero has been on the winning side seven times on 11 occasions and has scored nine goals during derby matches over the years, so his absence could be massively influential.

Despite Aguero’s impressive record against United however, supporters still aren’t hopeful of getting anything out of the game and made their feelings clear on social media.

Here you will find some of the best responses from Manchester United fans:

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets… 

Marcelo Bielsa has to be happy with how his Leeds United squad are performing this season.

Indeed, the Whites sit in second place in the Championship, and they are five points clear of Fulham who sit just a place below them.

The London club are breathing down the Whites’ necks, and this week it has been revealed that Bielsa is, in fact, a big fan of one of Fulham’s most important players.

Football Insider have claimed that the Argentine admires Tom Cairney, which led to us imagining the mouth-watering prospect of the Scotland international playing for Leeds United.

Leeds’ midfield is already brilliant, but would Cairney make it even better? Let’s compare how the Fulham captain shapes up against what United already have.

In our hypothetical world where Cairney has joined Leeds the most likely place for him to slot into the squad is in place of Mateusz Klich.

The Pole usually plays in the most advanced role in Leeds’ midfield, and much like Cairney, he is expected to score and assist after netting double figures in goals last season alongside his nine assists.

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It’s impossible to deny that the WhoScored stats are heavily in favour of Cairney this season.

He’s a more effective passer as his accuracy is higher and he creates more assists, while he’s also been in fine goalscoring form – netting six goals already this term.

Of course, Bielsa’s system requires a lot of pressing, running and defensive work from the midfield, but Cairney even eclipses Klich in the interceptions stat as he makes over twice as many interceptions as the Pole per game.

Cairney playing for Leeds is something of a pipe dream, he’s very committed to Fulham after signing a new five-year deal last summer, but if he did ever join Bielsa’s side he’d be an absolute star judging by this term.

In other news, stats have shown that Bielsa’s only change against Reading paid off on Tuesday.

Having come to attention for getting on to the pitch in Manchester United’s dramatic Champions League triumph at PSG last season, Mason Greenwood has since continued to prove why he is one of the most highly-rated prospects at the club.

The starlet was on fire for the Red Devils during the club’s pre-season tour in the summer, notching against both Inter and Leeds respectively. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer even remarked that the 18-year-old had left him in no doubt that he could even make the startling line-up for the opening game of the Premier League game season against Chelsea. He said: “He is more than capable. It is a good possibility if he keeps going as he does. It is difficult to keep players out who perform well.”

But unfortunately for Greenwood, the Norwegian’s declaration hasn’t really manifested itself into consistent first-team opportunities. Despite making 11 appearances in the Premier League this season, they have all been off the bench and for very limited time too – it all adds up to just 137 minutes of top-flight football, less than a full game-and-a-half.

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However, following Anthony Martial’s reported late injury, Red Devils fans have flooded to Twitter to demand the prodigy gets given a chance to start against Tottenham on Wednesday night.

Some fans of the Manchester side urged Solskjaer to throw caution to the wind and play Greenwood in the number nine role, rather than moving Marcus Rashford over from the left-hand side.

The England international has six goals and three assists in nine games as a left-winger, but just four goals and one assist when deployed up top – a fact that supporters felt should give Greenwood the edge.

With reports suggesting his future is very much on the line, whether Solskjaer decides now is the time to trust an essentially unproven 18-year-old in the number nine role for the biggest game of his managerial reign is very much up for debate. Get it right, and it could prove to be a welcome stay of execution. But if he doesn’t, then the Norwegian may look back to this game with a deep sense of regret and ‘what if?’.

Meanwhile, Manchester United have been told which Premier League star would “bolster their prospects”, by a BBC Sport pundit.