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Everton’s season could well be defined by what happens tonight as they face fellow relegation strugglers Leicester City at the King Power Stadium, with three points a must for Sean Dyche’s side.

The Toffees haven’t won a Premier League match since March 11 against Brentford and the positive impact that Dyche made during his first weeks – winning two of his first four games – has rapidly dissipated with each passing week.

Three points this evening would lift them into 16th spot in the table and surely give them a boost in momentum ahead of fixtures against Brighton and Manchester City in the coming weeks.

Several players played well against Newcastle United in the recent 4-1 defeat, most notably Dwight McNeil, who offered a reliable goal threat during the encounter and Dyche should be ready to unleash him again this evening in the crunch game against the Foxes.

Will Dwight McNeil start against Leicester City?

The winger may have only registered seven goal contributions this term – five goals and two assists – yet he has created eight big chances, averaged 1.1 key passes per game while taking 1.2 shots every match suggests that his game is based on more than just his goal return and this could be integral over the final few matches.

Across Europe’s big five leagues, McNeil ranks in the top 10% for crosses, ball recoveries, successful take ons and shot-creating actions, demonstrating just how effective he has been and Dyche will know how to bring the best out of the player having worked with him at Burnley.

The £25k-per-week star has been described as a “real threat” previously by Dyche and the 23-year-old proved this against the Magpies last week.

His 7.4 Sofascore rating was the joint best in the Everton side as he scored their only goal in the loss last time out, while also registering a total of four shots, of which three were on target.

He succeeded with two of his three dribble attempts, attempted five crosses and managed to take 47 touches having looked lively throughout the match.

The Goodison Park outfit will require a performance like this again versus the Foxes in order to claim all three points and give themselves the best chance of survival.

Dean Smith's men have conceded 57 goals in the league this term and McNeil has all the required tools to dismantle their defence and lead Everton to their first win in nearly two months.

Arsenal are in grave danger of letting the Premier League title slip from their grasp.

Of course, no one could have predicted the Gunners being in this position eight months but to collapse this late on, with three successive draws allowing Manchester City back into the race, it would be something of a disappointment.

Mikel Arteta's squad depth has been really tested in recent outings and the absence of William Saliba through injury could well be the sticking point that haunts the Emirates Stadium for years to come as the Frenchman just does not have an adequate backup for a title race.

Rob Holding and January recruit Jakub Kiwior – seen as one for the future – are the alternatives, whilst Takehiro Tomiyasu – if fit – would allow Ben White back into the middle.

Edu Gaspar and co's failure to sign a talented central defender that could push both Saliba and his first-choice counterpart Gabriel Magalhaes could well cost them, and they got a taste of what could've been two weeks ago when they squared up with Liverpool at Anfield.

Among the centre-backs on show was Ibrahima Konate, a player that was strongly linked with a switch to Arsenal back in November 2020, via German outlet Sport BILD.

How close was Ibrahima Konate from joining Arsenal?

The report suggested that the Gunners had been monitoring the young Frenchman ahead of a potential move and also revealed that he had a release clause of just €50m (£45m).

At the end of that campaign, it was their Premier League rivals who snapped him up from RB Leipzig for just £36m.

Konate even revealed that both Arsene Wenger and Thierry Henry's past comments about Anfield helped him decide on his future – speaking to Onze Mondial, he said:

"One day, Thierry Henry said on television that he would have liked to play in Liverpool.

"Arsene Wenger and many other great managers have said that Anfield is an extraordinary stadium. I live it as a player, it's real."

How has Konate done at Liverpool?

The 23-year-old has emerged as a key player for Jurgen Klopp, often being the preferred partner to Virgil van Dijk, having started each of their last eight fixtures in the English top-flight, including the aforementioned 2-2 draw with Arsenal.

Konate came out of the game as one of the Reds' top performers as senior writer Mike Craven hailed him as a "beast" for his defensive work against the league leaders.

Indeed, the Paris-born colossus won 73% of his duels, including 100% of his headers and registered five tackles, three interceptions one block. He even had an expected goals (xG) ratio of 0.59 for one chance, via Sofascore.

At the other end of the pitch, Holding was a little rocky, having earned the third-lowest rating of any starter between the two sides.

He also won just 44% of his duels, both in the air and on the ground, and failed miserably in thwarting Klopp's lethal attack, not only conceding a penalty but also having one error that led to a shot, via Sofascore.

The difference between the two was night and day, and it could have been an all too different story had Edu won the race for Konate's signature 18 months ago.

Earning around £70k-per-week in Merseyside, the former Leipzig titan has also been hailed as an "absolute dream" by Liverpool legend Phil Thompson, only compounding Arteta's misery even more as he really could have done with his presence in the absence of Saliba.

Konate could well have been that 'dream' for Arsenal, and one that allowed them to avoid this Holding nightmare, on their charge to a first Premier League title in nearly a decade.

Aston Villa's desperation to secure their status as a regular Premier League club encouraged both good and bad decisions.

Whilst it was likely this constant fear that drove them to avoid the drop on a few occasions, it also resulted in plenty of poor purchases that would have left the club financially hamstrung had they not received a British transfer record for their captain.

Jack Grealish's £100m sale offset plenty of their previous transfer blunders, namely those that Dean Smith had committed. The man who had marched them to Championship promotion had earned the right to tackle the top division, but it was clear at times his transfers were decidedly lacking.

This culminated in numerous failed attackers entering Villa Park and swiftly being moved on, with the hope it would be brushed under the carpet.

However, one such example where the jury is still out is with Bertrand Traore.

Having signed three years ago and starred in his debut campaign, a string of tactical shifts saw his career in the Midlands wane. He was subsequently loaned out, but with Unai Emery recently recalling him, it remains to be seen whether he could turn around a stuttering career at the club.

How much has Bertrand Traore cost Aston Villa?

Acquired in a year of vast change, where the likes of Ollie Watkins and Emi Martinez also joined, the winger somewhat went under the radar as he was brought in for £17m.

It was a quietly large expenditure, but with pedigree starring for Ajax and Lyon, it seemed like a deal that could work out for Smith; especially when he posted seven goals and seven assists in that first campaign.

However, in the year and a half following, the Burkina Faso international is yet to score or assist in all competitions. Across 50 games now for the Villans he still remains with the 15 goal contributions he earned in that sole season.

The £78k-per-week wide man did suffer from a switch in formation from his first boss, with Steven Gerrard freezing him out further due to his system preferring the width to come solely from the full-backs.

It is a searing indictment of the clueless recruiting of both players and managers, that did not align with the squad that was there. It turned what seemed like a promising signing into something of a failure.

His initial fee only serves to scratch the surface too, as his two years present at the club actually reveal the true sum of his transfer. In total, Traore has now cost Villa £25m and will continue to do so until either he is sold or his contract expires in 2024.

It has been a tumultuous 131 weeks in all honesty for the winger, who has often been a victim of the ever-changing nature of a club vying for some consistency. Even at international level, the 27-year-old was branded a "poor lad" by podcaster Ty Bracey after he had conceded a penalty right after assisting an opener.

Whilst Emery threatens to hand him a lifeline to get his career back on track, thus far the trickster, who has flattered to deceive in Claret and Blue, must be labelled a drain on the club.

Wolverhampton Wanderers look to have made a serious transfer blunder in the summer, as it seems unlikely at this point that Goncalo Guedes has a future at Molineux.

How much has Guedes cost Wolves?

Following a season of struggle in front of goal under Bruno Lage, the Old Gold looked to bring in attacking reinforcements for the Portuguese manager in the summer transfer window.

Guedes looked to be the ideal signing for the Midlands outfit, as he had hit 11 goals and six assists in the 2021/22 La Liga campaign for Valencia and was an established Portugal international, joining the large Iberian contingent at Molineux.

Wolves would pay £27.5m to sign the winger, as he signed a five-year contract at Molineux, but he struggled to have any real impact in his first few months with the club, with Lage sacked after the 2-0 defeat against West Ham in October.

The 26-year-old would make 13 appearances in the Premier League in total, contributing just one goal and one assist, with WhoScored awarding him a shocking 6.38 average rating for his performances.

Wolves' mistake with Guedes perhaps became clear with his first-half display in the 3-0 defeat against Chelsea earlier in the season, with The Athletic's Steve Madeley not holding back in his criticism of the Portuguese wide man, describing his performance as "awful."

He was expected to add quality in the final third but ranked fourth for shots, ninth for key passes and 17th for dribbles per game in the top-flight, so it was no surprise that Julen Lopetegui was not keen on keeping him around in the January transfer window.

The Spanish manager was clearly not impressed with what he saw from Guedes and he would join Benfica on loan for the rest of the season, where he has improved somewhat, notching one goal and one assist in six league appearances thus far, averaging a far more impressive 7.03 rating from WhoScored.

While he will no doubt be given another chance to impress Lopetegui in pre-season, it is poor recruitment such as this that has left Wolves in the position they find themselves in, with relegation to the Championship a very real possibility.

Should they find themselves in the second tier next season, it seems extremely unlikely that the £90k-per-week flop would stay at Wolves, and they would surely have to cash in for a significant loss.

Guedes' excessive wage means he has cost the Old Gold £2m in his 23 weeks as a Wolves player prior to his January loan exit, with Fosun having spent nearly £30m on him in total. Fortunately, Benfica are at least paying his salary until June.

Unless he can return to Molineux and redeem himself next season, that money looks as if it will go down the drain.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are ‘likely to trigger’ a contract extension for defender Nelson Semedo, according to journalist Liam Keen.

The Lowdown: Uncertain future

The Portugal international made the switch to the Premier League from Barcelona in 2020 but his current deal is set to expire at the end of the season and he’s already been linked with an exit.

The Old Gold were reportedly considering signing a new right-back in January with the 29-year-old having re-emerged onto the radar of his former club Benfica.

However, Julen Lopetegui has made the player a regular feature since arriving at Molineux and now sounds eager to tie him down.

The Latest: Semedo set to stay?

Taking to Twitter, Keen claimed that Wolves are set to extend Semedo’s stay, with the deadline for them to come to a full conclusion revealed. He wrote:

“Wolves are likely to trigger Nelson Semedo’s two-year contract extension before the end of the season, with his current deal up this summer. Club have until mid-May to make their decision and it’s in their hands.”

The Verdict: Correct decision

Wolves’ manager is clearly an admirer of Semedo and the Midlands outfit would be making completely the right decision by keeping hold of him.

The Nike-sponsored star ranks in the 95th percentile for most tackles per 90 minutes but is also a threat going forward having whipped 28 crosses into the box so far this season (FBRef).

The Lisbon native has featured in all 12 of Lopetegui’s games in charge so is obviously a part of his long-term plans, making this a no-brainer of a deal to complete.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano says that Arsenal are not in talks to sign Leicester City attacking midfielder James Maddison this summer, contrary to reports.

The Lowdown: Arsenal ‘kept informed’

It was reported earlier this week that Arsenal have been ‘kept informed’ of Maddison’s situation at Leicester, with him only having 18 months left on his current deal.

He is thought to have turned down numerous offers from the club to extend it, with Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City also thought to be in the race for his signature.

The Latest: Not in talks

Writing for CaughtOffside, Romano says that the Gunners are in fact ‘not in talks’ to sign Maddison, and his future will not be decided for another few months:

“Despite reports, Arsenal are currently not in talks to sign James Maddison at this stage. Newcastle have had Maddison on their list since last summer.

“Nothing will be decided on Maddison’s future before May/June.”

The Verdict: Is he needed?

With captain Martin Odegaard already at the club, and Fabio Vieira signed in the summer, one could question if the North London club need to sign Maddison.

Lauded as an ‘absolutely outstanding’ player by his manager Brendan Rodgers, the 26-year-old has been so impressive this season, despite Leicester’s struggles in the bottom half of the league.

He has managed to score nine goals and supply a further five assists in the Premier League so far (Transfermarkt), and made the England squad for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar off the back of his impressive performances.

Although primarily an attacking midfielder, Maddison is capable of playing slightly deeper, and so could fit in Mikel Arteta’s 4-3-3 attacking system as the left-sided central midfielder, with Odegaard the right.

Nonetheless, signing him would be a shrewd move from the Emirates Stadium outfit, providing that they can find a place for him in the starting line-up.

Tottenham Hotspur have been one of the Premier League’s most prolific outfits to date, and despite sitting fifth in the table they are only behind title-chasers Arsenal and Manchester City for goals scored.

Their tally of 40 goals in 21 games is admirable and made even more so by the underperformance of the usually prolific Son Heung-min.

Since moving to north London in 2015, the South Korean quickly established himself as one of the top wingers in the division.

It would take him just one season to acclimatise, and since then has hit double figures in six consecutive league campaigns.

But with just four goals after 19 league games this term, it seems that the 30-year-old is struggling for form of late and is in desperate need of something to reignite his once-lethal scoring touch.

Antonio Conte could do just that by adding further competition in the attacking positions, despite already boasting a wealth of talent across the front three and behind them.

One such name that has circulated throughout this window is that of Montpellier forward Elye Wahi, who is coveted by several clubs across Europe including the Lilywhites.

With the French media expecting a battle between them and their north London rivals, it was in fact the Gunners who were first linked and touted a €30m (£26m) valuation for the 20-year-old.

What makes the forward so outstanding is further outlined in the initial report, as he is only the second player to score 20 Ligue 1 goals before his 20th birthday in the last 40 years, alongside Kylian Mbappe.

He has already outdone Karim Benzema and Thierry Henry at the same age too.

This season the youngster boasts seven goals in just 18 league matches for a struggling outfit, and yet remains an incredibly raw talent.

There is much to learn for the Frenchman, but his physicality, desire and red-hot form alone would be enough to alert Son.

Especially if the claims of his academy director Francis de Taddeo are to be believed, which outline his main assets: “He is a powerful, athletic and fast player with a range of dribbling skills where only he knows what he is going to do next”.

Perhaps with a move to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, he could elevate his game to new levels, surrounded by some of the world’s most impressive attacking talent.

His arrival could also be the catalyst to reigniting Son, with an extra option that could bench him. Should he manage that, he would already have been worth his hefty price tag.

Pep Guardiola has been handed a significant injury boost at Manchester City, which might just serve to reignite the Premier League title race.

Defeat against Manchester United in the derby last weekend, combined with Arsenal’s north London derby win over Tottenham Hotspur, means that the Citizens are currently eight points behind the Gunners in the title race.

Poor recent displays against United, Southampton and Everton have cost City significantly, with Guardiola’s side struggling at both ends.

Erling Haaland has not looked nearly as prolific since the World Cup ended, with the Norweigian failing to score in each of his last three appearances, while a once-strong defence now looks susceptible, with clean sheets only coming in consecutive games against Chelsea.

This could be down to the absence of both Ruben Dias and John Stones, with the former picking up an injury at the World Cup which has ruled him out of all subsequent action, while the latter out of action since his superb display at Stamford Bridge earlier this month.

Fortunately for Guardiola, it seems as if both players are now pushing to start against Spurs on Thursday evening, as the club confirmed on Tuesday that they were back in training.

Although Spurs have been something of a bogey side for Guardiola in recent seasons, three points must be considered a must at the Etihad this week, especially as Arsenal face an in-form Man United side at the weekend.

The return of two arguably world-class defenders in Stones and Dias is likely to give the Citizens a significant boost and hopefully get them back to their best after some questionable recent defensive displays.

If their return can inspire City to three points against Spurs this week then suddenly the gap closes to just five points, with two fixtures against Mikel Arteta’s side still to come, which emphasises that the title race is far from over.

Considering WhoScored ranks Dias and Stones as the top-performing centre-backs in Guardiola’s side so far this campaign, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them resume a partnership in the defence in upcoming fixtures, which could subsequently see the Citizens rediscover the sort of form needed to win the title this term.

Arsenal should look to sign Brighton & Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma as a Mykhaylo Mudryk alternative, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.

The Lowdown: Arsenal targeting Mudryk

Arsenal’s interest in Mykhaylo Mudryk has been apparent for quite some time, however the deal is set to be an expensive one, with Football London reporting that Shakhtar Donetsk will not allow him to leave unless their £88m asking price is matched.

While Mudryk would no doubt be a boost for the Gunners in their Premier League title race, Mitoma has now emerged as another exciting young attacker, after impressive form with Brighton this season.

The Latest: Taylor’s comments

According to Taylor, Mikel Arteta should consider the Japan international, due to the fact that he would not be as costly as the 22-year-old.

The journalist told GIVEMESPORT:

“You’ve got Mitoma and I do think someone like Arsenal should maybe look at him as an alternative for Mudryk. He’s a great option and a great player. But again, these clubs are going have to pay massive, massive money.”

The Verdict: Viable alternative?

There is no doubt that Mitoma is a quality player, being lauded as ‘unbelievable’ by journalist Charlie Parker-Turner, and picking up three goals and one assist in the Premier League this season, but Arsenal currently have a golden opportunity to sign a rising star.

Given the Gunners’ league standing, they are in the enviable position of being able to attract the top players in Europe, and Mudryk is certainly in this category, already proving himself in the Champions League by scoring three goals in six games in the competition this season.

Hailed as the ‘Ukrainian Neymar’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the winger could be the decisive factor in Arsenal clinching a first Premier League title since the Arsene Wenger era, and so they should strike while the iron is hot, concluding a deal for him as soon as possible.

Everton have found themselves struggling again in the Premier League over their campaign so far, and there is no doubt that Frank Lampard will be desperately searching for solutions to improve his team’s form.

The Toffees are now teetering on the edge of the relegation zone in 17th after a run of poor performances in the top flight, sitting just one point clear of the bottom three ahead of their return to action against Wolverhampton Wanderers after Christmas.

One of the main concerns that Lampard will be keen to improve is the lack of goal contributions in the team, as they have only managed 11 Premier League goals so far, the joint-second worst record in the top flight at present.

As a result, the signing of a striker should be a top priority for the Toffees when the transfer window reopens in January, as it could be the difference between a comfortable finish in the league or another difficult scrap which could lead to relegation at the end of the campaign.

One player who has been linked with a move to Goodison Park is France and Borussia Monchengladbach forward Marcus Thuram, a prolific goalscorer who could be the answer to Everton’s biggest problem.

The talented forward has been attracting a lot of attention due to his outstanding performances for France at the World Cup in Qatar, with his contributions to his national team playing a part in their progression to what was an epic final on Sunday.

Over his 79-minute performance in the World Cup final, Thuram – who was dubbed a “beast” by Atul Kasbekar – registered one assist, completed three dribbles and won nine duels, also making one tackle and one clearance.

It is no surprise that Didier Deschamps put his faith in the 25-year-old to perform in the tournament when you consider his output for Gladbach over the season so far.

In 15 Bundesliga appearances this term, the Frenchman has scored 10 goals, delivered three assists and created three big chances, averaging 3.7 shots on goal, 1.5 dribbles completed and 4.6 duels won per game.

Furthermore, he ranks in the top 10% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues in 2022 for non-penalty goals, assists and dribbles completed, proving that he is one of the most talented attacking players in Europe right now.

Thuram is set to be out of contract in the summer, which has only added to the attention that he is attracting as it is reported that Gladbach would be willing to accept a cut-price fee of £8.5m in January in order to earn some money before he inevitably leaves on a free transfer in the summer.

With that in mind, it would be a no-brainer for Farhad Moshiri to launch a move for Thuram in the New  Year, as the 25-year-old would not only be an absolute steal but could also provide the clinical finishing in front of goal that Lampard is crying out for over the second half of the season.