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HLTCO host Dan Cook has claimed that there must have been "sizeable" issues at Crystal Palace under former boss Patrick Vieira following the club's sudden change in form.

What's the latest on Roy Hodgson and Crystal Palace?

In the Premier League this weekend, the Eagles stunned many as they cruised to a 5-1 win against relegation rivals Leeds United at Elland Road.

Indeed, Jordan Ayew stole headlines as he netted a brace, but goals from Marc Guehi, Eberechi Eze, and Odsonne Edouard helped new manager Roy Hodgson make it two wins from two since returning to Palace.

Considering the club were sliding towards the bottom three, on a run of 12 games without a win, before sacking Vieira, such a quick turnaround in form has been quite remarkable.

Of course, changes at the top often do cause a bit of a new manager bounce but while speaking about it all on the HLTCO podcast, Cook has suggested that something must have been amiss behind the scenes under their former head coach.

He explained (2:04) “I think at this stage, we have to look and say that there cannot have been any smoke without fire. You know, there must have been pretty sizeable things wrong behind the scenes.

"Because the way that Roy Hodgson and Ray Lewington have come into the squad and galvanised it, the joy that these players are playing, with the smiles on their faces, the freedom in an attacking sense that we are suddenly seen, is not something you can just click your fingers and cultivate.

"It has to have come because of a release of a pressure valve, because of a difference in the way that the coaches have approached things, because of a structural differentiation when it comes to training and the way that we are going about things.”

How many goals have Palace scored since Hodgson returned?

Hodgson certainly has been in good form in his press conferences after returning to the South London club he managed prior to leaving in the summer of 2021.

Indeed, he eloquently told The Independent about how he and his coaching team must act as "orchestra leaders" to get his players to play hit the right notes and perform with real quality for the rest of the season.

He certainly got things right on the weekend and it does feel as though a weight has been lifted off the Palace squad. Indeed, the Eagles have seven goals in their last two games since Hodgson arrived. Prior to that, they had one in their last five.

That doesn't reflect too well on the now-departed Vieira. No wonder, Cook suspects something was a little off behind the scenes.

Everton are a club notoriously strapped for funds, which was evidenced by the fact that they were the only Premier League club not to make a single addition in January.

This was despite the mammoth £45m sale of Anthony Gordon, which many thought would be instantly reinvested into acquiring the striker they so desperately sought.

However, Frank Lampard and Sean Dyche both could not tempt any new names to Goodison Park, and the latter now faces the run-in with a threadbare squad lacking in confidence.

Having since overseen something of an upturn in form though, the former Burnley boss will likely be looking ahead to ways in which he can mould this outfit in his image rather than the numerous managers that have come before him.

To do so he might need to further cull the current team, and if he is looking at players that are not quite at the level needed, then Ellis Simms might see his time at the club cut short.

How much is Ellis Simms worth?

Having come up through the academy, the young marksman was seemingly forever touted with earning a big breakthrough into the first team which never came.

Instead, the 22-year-old enjoyed three relatively successful loan spells, the last of which was cut short as Lampard desperately scrambled for reinforcements.

Before then, he had scored seven in the Championship for Sunderland, building on his eight goals two years earlier with Blackpool in League One.

Having excelled in the lower leagues it seemed like he was building towards tackling Premier League football, although it remains quite clear that he is far below that level with regard to his technical quality.

Even journalist Tony Scott suggested this, as he spoke to the All Together Now podcast on the young forward: “If] Ellis Simms plays up front – yeah, he’s a big lad, but he’s not good enough. He’s not good enough at this level, we’ve seen that.

“He’d be a physical presence, he’d be annoying, but he’s not going to hold the ball up.”

Whilst in other situations it might be worth persevering with his growth, given how his value has skyrocketed in recent years it might mark the perfect time to seek investment through his sale.

Having been rated by Transfermarkt at just €300k (£265k) back in 2021, Football Transfers now see the apex of his value at €8.2m (£7.2m), marking a 2616% increase.

There is clearly huge amounts of profit to be made on Simms, who is yet to truly showcase his ability at the top level.

His name would attract plenty of suitors in the Championship, whilst allowing Dyche to reinvest whatever funds he might receive in forging his own team.

The Athletic’s George Caulkin has been encouraged by what he’s seen of late from Allan Saint-Maximin heading into Newcastle United’s Carabao Cup clash.

The Lowdown: Big players have to step up

It’s been far from a pleasing season for Saint-Maximin on Tyneside, with the Frenchman having gone from one of the first names on the teamsheet to being used sporadically off the bench in most games by Eddie Howe.

Saint-Maximin has only started seven Premier League games this season and was only handed a run of starts of late following the suspension Bruno Guimaraes picked up – and he has seemingly repaid Howe’s faith in that time.

The Frenchman was the Player of the Match in Newcastle’s last game against Liverpool, which will be encouraging for fans and Howe, as he may now be ready to kick on at Wembley.

The Latest: Saint-Maximin must carry his form into Wembley

Caulkin claimed on Pod on the Tyne that Saint-Maximin’s uptick in form is encouraging for Newcastle’s chances of winning the Carabao Cup on Sunday.

He said: “I thought there were shades of Man City in that performance [against Liverpool], and that is hugely encouraging. In some ways, the circumstances don’t matter too much, because it’s just good, I think, for him and the team for us to see that he can still give that energy and be that effective.

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“I think that’s the real positive to carry into the weekend, that suddenly, you’ve got that threat again. And on that form, he will cause Manchester United problems.”

The Verdict: Huge chance to impress on the big stage

It may not be much of a surprise to see Saint-Maximin stepping up his game, as he is reportedly in talks over a new contract, and there would be no better way to show PIF he deserves a bumper deal than by leading the Magpies to glory on Sunday.

Given that Guimaraes is set to be back and ready to start on Sunday at Wembley, he could well help Saint-Maximin play even better by giving him those progressive passes as he’s done so often this season – he ranks second in the team for that metric (FBref).

Saint-Maximin certainly won’t be providing much cover defensively having won just two tackles in his own final third, but if he can put Manchester United on the back foot and pin back someone such as Aaron Wan-Bissaka, he could well justify a starting spot.

Sunderland return to action in the Championship on Saturday as they host Reading at the Stadium of Light with the hope of bouncing back from their defeat to Fulham.

Tony Mowbray’s side were beaten 3-2 by the Premier League side in their FA Cup fourth-round replay on Wednesday night in a thrilling match on Wearside.

The Black Cats put in a spirited display against Marco Silva’s men and came close to drawing level with the Cottagers in the final stages of the game after Jewison Bennette pulled one goal back in stoppage time.

Sunderland now come up against 16th-placed Reading and could move into the play-off spots with a win as they currently sit two points off the top six in the table.

Will Joe Gelhardt start against Reading?

One change Mowbray must make to his side from the defeat to Fulham is bringing in on-loan Leeds United centre-forward Joe Gelhardt from the start.

The 20-year-old, who arrived at the Stadium of Light during the January transfer window, was ineligible to play on Wednesday after playing for his parent club in an earlier round last month.

He is the only natural striker available for Sunderland, after Ross Stewart’s injury and Ellis Simms’ departure, and has the potential to be a match-winner for the Black Cats.

Amad Diallo (seven) is the only midfielder with more than four strikes in the Championship this season and this suggests that Mowbray is not blessed with a plethora of regular goalscoring outlets.

Gerhardt, however, could be the main man for goals for Sunderland if the gem can hit his stride in a red and white shirt as his form Leeds at youth level shows that there is a huge attacking threat to be unearthed.

These statistics show that the 5 foot 9 gem, who was once hailed as “absolutely outrageous” by Leeds reporter Beren Cross, was a consistent, reliable, goalscorer for the Whites at U21 level. 

The young centre-forward has also shown glimpses of his quality at Premier League level as the gem has scored two goals and provided six assists in six starts – playing 35 times in total.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp once lauded the gem as “exciting” and a “human wrecking ball” for his impact in a top-flight match for Leeds and this suggests, along with his contributions in attack, that Gelhardt has the ability to make an impact at the top level.

Therefore, in theory, the 20-year-old should be able to thrive at a lower level if presented with the chances he needs from his teammates to find the back of the net, which is why Mowbray must unleash him from the start.

Sky Sports News reporter Vinny O’Connor has suggested that Everton could try and sign Anthony Elanga on loan on transfer deadline day.

What’s the word?

With Frank Lampard sacked and Sean Dyche only just in through the door, the new manager doesn’t have a lot of time to push for a signing of his own in the winter window.

However, the sale of Anthony Gordon to Newcastle United means the club could potentially end the month with a weaker squad than they began with. Considering the club’s current situation – they sit inside the bottom three in the Premier League – this would be far from ideal.

With that in mind, while reporting on the latest Everton updates for Sky Sports News, O’Connor floated the idea of Elanga possibly arriving from Manchester United on loan.

He explained (1:41:43: “We know of their interest in Elanga, is their scope there perhaps for a loan deal. Could something be ignited as regards that?”

Decent option?

Interestingly enough, Barcelona are also potentially keen on completing a loan move for Elanga this winter – which goes to prove just how highly-rated the 20-year-old is in some circles.

Everton did seem to prioritise the money they’ve made from the Gordon transfer on trying to bring in Conor Gallagher from Chelsea but that deal doesn’t look likely.

Taking that into account, the club will have to look elsewhere and a loan move for Elanga would at least provide some more depth on the flanks in Gordon’s absence.

The winger has played 20 times in all competitions for United this season, though most appearances have come from the bench, and he has yet to score, with two assists in this same period.

Perhaps a consistent run of starts at Everton could help him deliver better stats though. And, with four goals and four assists in total for the Red Devils at the age of 20, there’s certainly some talent there for Dyche to potentially work with.

Newcastle United shared the spoils with Crystal Palace on their trip to South London last night and although the side have taken the most draws in the entire Premier League, Eddie Howe will surely be thrilled that his side have climbed back into third.

The Magpies continue their unbeaten run in the top flight tallying up just one loss over the season and haven’t conceded a defeat since the end of August which is an incredibly impressive achievement considering just 12 months ago they were battling relegation.

Over the tight clash with Patrick Vieira’s side, Newcastle had 61% possession, more shots on goal (16 v 6), more big chances created (2 v 0) and more accurate passes completed (380 v 202), however, Howe’s outfit were unable to break down their opponent’s resilience.

Both halves were extremely uneventful in terms of opportunities at each end of the pitch, however, referee Craig Pawson was the busiest man on the pitch handing out six yellow cards with Marc Guehi, Kieran Trippier, Will Hughes, Joelinton and Michael Olise all getting booked over the clash.

Since the World Cup, Newcastle have played five league games with three ending in 0-0 stalemates with Callum Wilson, in particular, unable to find the back of the net since returning from his England duties over the prestigious international tournament last month.

Yet again tonight, Wilson failed to offer anything to the team on Saturday evening and let Howe down by not getting stuck into the game to take the opportunity to steal all three points from the Selhurst Park meeting.

Over his 69-minute performance, the Newcastle passenger had fewer touches of the ball than Nick Pope, managed just six accurate passes, lost seven of his duels combined, failed to make any dribble attempts and lost possession of the ball every 2.3 touches.

The 30-year-old centre-forward is not doing himself any favours with these uninspiring performances as Alexander Isak is now fit and available to compete for his position in the team.

Although Howe has been playing the Swedish striker off of the bench it may now be time for the Newcastle boss to start handing the starting opportunities to Isak.

With that being said, Howe will now have two weeks to solve the dry spell in front of goal that Newcastle appear to be experiencing of late and it will be interesting to see if the manager gives Isak a more consistent starting role when they return to action against West Ham United.

Leeds United potentially signing World Cup star Azzedine Ounahi would be exciting for fans, Pete O’Rourke has claimed.

What’s the word?

The midfielder has been linked with a possible move to Elland Road after standing out as his Morocco side reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in Qatar.

A deal for the 22-year-old, who plays for Angers in Ligue 1, could be considered something of a coup for Leeds given that Barcelona were also reportedly interested in him.

Speaking to Football FanCast, O’Rourke claimed that the signing – if it happens – would excite Leeds fans, and he would fit into the team well.

He said: “Jesse Marsch likes to play on the front foot and have energetic players in pressing, and also likes to play attacking football.

“I think he’d be somebody who would really excite Leeds fans if they were to get him.”

A balanced midfield

Summer signings Marc Roca and Tyler Adams have slotted straight into the Leeds midfield, and the addition of Ounahi could complete a well-balanced trio.

Roca, 26, and Adams, 23, represent a young, talented pair, with tenacity and technique in their locker, and Ounahi would come in and add a bit of style and flair to the side.

Roca ranks in the top 7% of midfielders for progressive passes, Adams ranks in the top 6% for tackles and blocks, and Ounahi ranks in the top 1% for dribbles as per FBref. All three together in the same side under Marsch could produce some excellent football, and help Leeds push further up the Premier League table.

Signing a World Cup star would be a big statement, and if he settles quickly, Ounahi could be the key to surviving relegation.

Liverpool have been linked with the signing of Jude Bellingham for a great deal of time and now a reliable source has given an update on the club’s pursuit of the player as the transfer window opens for business.

What’s the latest?

According to CBS reporter Ben Jacobs, Liverpool are still “leading the race” to sign the Borussia Dortmund and England midfielder in 2023.

Jacobs told GIVEMESPORT: “I do think that Liverpool are leading the race for Bellingham.

“They’re going to have competition, but I think that there’s a cautious optimism on the Liverpool front that, because they started earlier than most and because they have put in a lot of legwork and they’ve been very hands-on, they believe that they’ve done all they can at this point in the race to make progress and land Jude Bellingham. Then we’ll wait and see how other suitors move and how that affects the situation.”

Liverpool’s next Stevie G

There is no doubt that the signing of Bellingham would be a monumental move in the club’s efforts to rebuild their midfield in 2023 as the England midfielder is one of the brightest young talents in football.

The 19-year-old star – who was dubbed “scary” by Jack Grealish – ranks in the top 10% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for non-penalty goals, dribbles completed, touches and progressive passes received, as well as ranking in the top 15% for assists and shots on goal, proving that he is a real threat to opponents in the centre of the pitch.

Liverpool have found themselves struggling to retain their dominance in the Premier League and are currently sixth in the league table due to a number of inconsistent performances and several injury problems plaguing the squad over their first 16 outings.

Three midfielders including Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner will be out of contract in the summer, whilst Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is coming to the latter stages of his career, making it the perfect time to acquire the services of Bellingham to bring in their next leader in the heart of the team.

Liverpool could even land their next Steven Gerrard with comparisons between the two talented midfielders already being made despite Bellingham’s short career so far.

If he could replicate his Dortmund form at Anfield, having scored nine times this term, there’s certainly no reason why the Birmingham-born ace couldn’t follow in the footsteps of one of his “heroes” by captaining the club.

The legendary Premier League midfielder and former Aston Villa boss has already lavished praise on the £131m-valued youngster, claiming he was “excited” to watch Bellingham play for England at the World Cup:

“I’ll be focusing my attention on England,” he said prior to the tournament in Qatar getting underway.

“I’m really excited to watch Jude Bellingham, I’m a massive fan of him. I think the next 10 or 15 years, he’s going to become an England superstar.”

With that being said, if Liverpool can secure the signature of Bellingham – who like Gerrard is a goal-scoring midfielder – either this month or over the summer it could set up the centre of Liverpool’s team for many years to come.

New Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale will be a respected figure because of his ‘forthright’ approach, according to The Athletic journalist Jordan Campbell.

The Lowdown: Beale named as new Rangers boss

The Premiership giants may not be playing at the moment because of the ongoing World Cup in Qatar, but that certainly doesn’t mean that it hasn’t been a busy period at Ibrox.

Beale was named as Rangers’ new manager at the beginning of the week as he looks to pick up the pieces left by the departure of Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

The 42-year-old may not be a huge name in management as of yet but he impressed as Steven Gerrard’s assistant at Ibrox previously and did well enough at QPR to convince the Gers’ hierarchy that he is now ready for the managerial gig.

The Latest: Campbell talks up Beale

Taking to Twitter in sharing a corresponding article for The Athletic, Campbell talked up Beale as a manager, praising his approach in the process.

The journalist tweeted:

“Does he have the presence of a Gerrard? Who does? But the question of leadership and aura is relevant at Rangers. Players and colleagues I’ve spoken to say he wasn’t shy in voicing his opinion as a coach and neither was he afraid to be forthright.”

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The Verdict: Very exciting

Beale feels like an exciting appointment – someone who could give Rangers the push in the right direction that they need and bring a youthful managerial approach.

It would have been easy for the club to appoint someone more renowned or experienced, but the job he did alongside Gerrard has clearly been a key factor, with the Liverpool legend saying that ‘would take me 15 to 20 years’ to reach his level as a coach.

It seems apparent that Beale has the respect of the players and coaching staff wherever he has been, and if he can turn things around at Ibrox and get the Gers playing eye-catching football while winning in the process, he could become a hero to the Light Blues faithful in next to no time.

One of the key additions for Leeds United in the summer was Rasmus Kristensen, who was seen as the natural replacement for the disappointing Luke Ayling. It was a position renowned across Yorkshire for being in desperate need of a revamp.

The former Red Bull Salzburg man marked the first of two occasions where Jesse Marsch had returned to his old club for additions, with the six-foot-one stalwart impressing in his start to life in the Premier League.

He has battled well to cope with the demands of English football, earning himself a position in Kasper Hjulmand’s Denmark squad for the upcoming World Cup.

For all the £17.5m-rated man’s defensive quality – notably averaging 2.9 tackles and 2.4 clearances per game from his 12 top-flight appearances this season – it remains to be seen whether he boasts the offensive qualities to truly be a long-term fit for the spot.

The 25-year-old has only recorded one goal contribution all season in the league, with his lack of attacking impetus outlined in his 0.6 key passes per game.

That fact could be the reason behind the Whites’ reported interest in another right-back, with his long-term replacement sounded out in the form of Borussia Mönchengladbach youngster Joe Scally.

Due to Jesse Marsch’s well-reported interest in finding a new left-back, scouts were present in the clash between the German outfit and Borussia Dortmund, thought to be viewing the progress of Raphael Guerreiro.

However, in a report made by 90min, they claim that the strong American contingent at Elland Road could make Scally someone who may also be on their radar.

The 19-year-old is currently also valued at £17.5m by CIES Football Observatory and is also set to travel with the USA as part of the forthcoming World Cup, highlighting his pedigree despite his youth.

A player who is “one of the most talented right-backs in his age group in the world” – according to NFCYC sporting director Claudio Reyna – Scally racked up three goal contributions across last season in what was his debut season in Germany.

This season has seen him once again impress, as, despite not recording a goal contribution, he has created three big chances and averaged 0.5 key passes per game.

He clearly has an incredibly high ceiling, and with a sensational breakout World Cup in the works, to invest in him now might be a stroke of genius.

Whilst it may seem harsh to ditch the latter man from the side in January, the potential Scally brings is undeniable. He already has the defensive qualities Kristensen boasts of and has nothing but time to slowly improve his creativity to make him the perfect modern full-back.