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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Harvey Elliott has a bright future ahead of him but he already possesses certain attributes that suggest Jurgen Klopp should consider giving him more regular opportunities to impress.

On the chalkboard

The 16-year-old has already broken the record for the youngest ever player to appear in the Premier League and given how he has already impressed the fans and coaching staff at Anfield – with Pep Lijnders describing him as a “super player” – he looks destined to become an accomplished footballer.

He showed in his only senior game for the club so far, against MK Dons, that he has the confidence to match his talent, achieving a 9/10 rating from the Liverpool Echo for his performance.

The former Fulham man was adept with both feet and created chances with three key passes.

But what was most telling was his ability on the ball and the ease with which he took on opposition defenders.

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He achieved four successful dribbles, double than that of Liverpool’s next best player, and in fact it is an aspect of the team that is lacking – with only five players achieving an average of one successful dribble or more per league game.

Elliott, therefore, would provide something different and could be a valuable asset for Klopp, particularly off the bench.

Attacking alternative

Liverpool have shown championship winning form so far this season but in recent league matches they have been less free-scoring, and instead have ground out narrow wins against the likes of Sheffield United and Leicester.

One problem they have faced this campaign is the defensive nature of the opposition, particularly visitors to Anfield, some of whom have had a preference to drop deep and contain the Reds’ attack, as their share of possession against Spurs and Newcastle shows.

It was a method which worked well for Manchester United for 85 minutes, and it means that Jurgen Klopp needs to find a Plan B for his side, to allow his side to cut through the opposition in a different way.

Elliott could offer that, and though it may be too early to start him in games, he has proved he has both the temperament and skillset to make a difference from the bench.

His ability to take the ball past a player and find a teammate could be vital to unlocking defensive sides, and the sooner he is given the chance to play the sooner Klopp could mould another weapon in his armoury.

The upcoming clash against Arsenal will likely allow the winger to showcase his ability, and if he performs well against a respected left-back in Sead Kolasinac or Kieran Tierney, then his opportunities could become more regular.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Wolves have finally started to see their fortunes turn around, particularly in the Premier League.

Sunday’s shock victory over Manchester City meant it was three straight victories in regulation time – a far cry from a month ago when the west Midlands club were thrashed 5-2 by Chelsea at Molineux before losing their Europa League group opener.

With the season taking an interval for the second international break of the season, transfer rumours tend to resurface with the lack of considerable competitive football on offer at the top of the elite game.

Wolves this week have already seen Willy Boly linked with a move to Arsenal, but there’s also been chatter about Ruben Neves’ future over in Spain as La Liga giants Real Madrid see him as a possible target in January.

One Wolves fan thinks he’s pinpointed the moment when they went from EPL strugglers to “peak Barcelona 2011” in the video below…

It’s doubtful that many would like to see his departure, though, it is one that should ultimately happen.

Firstly, those reports suggest that the Portuguese anchorman would be available for €50m (£44.8m), which is more than double what they originally paid for him, but they could probably get a lot more, especially with how heavily Los Blancos tend to pursue their targets.

Secondly, he wouldn’t be that big of a miss based off this season.

The 22-year-old was outstanding in the Championship when Wolves won the title – the fact he left Champions League regulars Porto for the English second tier was quite surprising, so him looking a cut above everyone else was a complete contrast in reality.

Neves bagged six goals while averaging a passing accuracy of 84.9% and 2.3 tackles per game, via WhoScored.

But since then, it’s gradually decreased culminating in this season’s weak attempt, which suggests he’s struggled to step up to the difference in quality.

Watch Wolverhampton Wanderers Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

His passing accuracy is currently at a career-low 71.7%, and he hasn’t had the domineering effect in midfield that he once had in the old gold shirt, averaging only 1.3 tackles per game.

Neves played in 35 top-flight games last campaign, but he’s been dropped several times already this season because of his poor performances – starting just one of Wolves’ last three Premier League matches.

Fellow countryman Joao Moutinho has stepped up to contribute in areas he probably didn’t previously do earlier in his career – as seen against City, where he recorded three more tackles than the defensively-minded Neves.

It may be harsh, but the 6-foot midfielder has been good for the odd screamer since their title-winning campaign, but aside from that, he’s struggled to live up to that golden debut season. On that evidence, he’s someone they could potentially replace.

Transfermarkt rate him at £45m, they can get a lot more than that, which will help them find a replacement that can do a better job in defensive midfield.

Arsenal fans have been reacting to a tweet from Dani Ceballos as the Gunners prepare to face Sheffield United on Monday.

Ceballos, 23, has had a positive start to life in north London since his move from Real Madrid on a season-long loan. The Spaniard has proved to be a creative influence in the middle of the park with Mesut Ozil in and out of the squad.

Watch Arsenal Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

With two assists and a passing accuracy of 89% in the Premier League this season, the Spain international is becoming a vital asset for boss Unai Emery in terms of controlling the play and getting the ball to the attackers.

Supporters have been full of encouragement towards Ceballos after he issued a rallying cry on Twitter, as he prepares for a busy schedule of matches with the Gunners.

Arsenal will play four games in nine days, with a trip to Anfield against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup being the final game of a testing period.

Below you will find some of the best responses from Arsenal fans, who seem delighted by the summer arrival’s attitude…

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Off the Bench series, which places in-game managerial decisions and squad selections under FFC’s microscope.

Barcelona fell to a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Granada at the weekend and Ernesto Valverde’s decision to bench Arthur Melo might have been his biggest blunder of the game.

On the chalkboard

Barcelona opted to go for a rather mixed lineup for the encounter. The main area of experimentation, indeed, was the middle of the park.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The trio of Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong and Arthur Melo, that started the game against Borussia Dortmund, was completely dismantled and turned into an Ivan Rakitic, Sergi Roberto and De Jong trident instead.

It’s safe to say that Valverde’s little project failed and the team suffered the consequences.

Granada ran away with the game, scoring twice and leaving Barcelona with just a single shot on target throughout the 90 minutes.

And after his mammoth performance in the clash with Dortmund – he registered 106 touches, one key pass and a 91.7% passing accuracy – Melo’s omission from the lineup is the biggest mystery of them all.

Unrightfully benched

The 23-year-old Brazilian joined Barca with an initial €31m (£27.4m) price tag and the Blaugrana have been getting their money’s worth so far.

Melo was one of the top performers in the clash in Germany mid-week despite a rather poor overall showing for the team.

With such a display under his belt and throughout the season, the decision to suddenly leave him out was a rather strange one.

Whether he actually could’ve saved the game for Barca, we’ll never know but taking into account the impact he managed to muster against Dortmund in front of the Yellow Wall, it’s fairly safe to assume that his skill-set was required on the night.

Quite simply, the Brazilian must be restored to the starting XI as quickly as possible if Barca want to get back to winning ways.

[ad_pod ]Some Crystal Palace fans have taken to Twitter to heap praise on Wilfried Zaha, following his performance in the Eagles’ 2-0 win over Norwich.The Ivory Coast international wanted to leave Selhurst Park back in the summer and even handed in a transfer request amid interest from Arsenal and Everton, but his head looked well and truly screwed on against the Canaries.Zaha took four shots – more than any other player on the pitch – and also completed five key passes on a day where he truly looked back to his best – he was yet to record a single goal involvement before Saturday’s game.The 26-year-old set up Andros Townsend’s goal after some excellent wing play in stoppage time, while he also embarked on a game-high six dribbles.

One Palace fan said that Zaha delivered such a “mature” performance against Daniel Farke’s side, while another said that his work rate was “excellent”.

Let’s take a look at some more of the Twitter reaction…

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Liverpool fans are gearing up for another transfer saga, after Lille manager Christophe Galtier dropped a cheeky hint over the future of Nicolas Pepe.

Pepe will be one of the hottest prospects on the market this summer, as the winger has slammed in 16 goals and eight assists in 25 Ligue 1 appearances this season.

The 23 year-old has electric pace and has developed quite the eye for goal, and he has already been linked with several top clubs, most notably Arsenal, while the Reds have also been tenuously linked.

Roberto Firmino has thrown a party themed around the colour of his teeth! Watch the video below to find out what we’re talking about…

Liverpool fans are now hoping they are in the race after Galtier’s comments, as the manager said Pepe will play in red next season.

“He has to go to a club in the Champions League. In my view, he does not need an intermediary step to go to the highest possible level,” Galtier said, as reported by GFFN.

“I could see him playing for a team who plays in red that likes having wide players playing on the wing of their weaker foot.”

Of course, Liverpool play in red and use Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah on “the wing of their weaker foot” as Galtier put it, so fans are all over this one.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

[ad_pod ]An already bad situation has got a whole lot worse for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side, who are now staring down the barrel of five painful weeks without another one of their starters.John Stones joins the injured Aymeric Laporte, who’s set to be out of action until January after being carried off in City’s 4-0 victory over Brighton at the beginning of the campaign, after it was reported that the Englishman suffered an injury training for the upcoming Champions League game against Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk.Nicolas Otamendi is now City’s only recognised central defender, and if his performance at the weekend against Norwich City if anything to go by, the champions might find themselves in trouble as they try to defend their title for the third consecutive season.The 31-year-old was partly responsible for Teemu Pukki’s second-half goal, though Guardiola has since exonerated him.Watch Manchester City Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and on reflection City probably should have made a more concerted effort to replace outbound Vincent Kompany during the summer transfer window.

Harry Maguire was linked with a move from Leicester City, which would’ve gone some way towards bolstering their options, but after weeks of hesitating, he eventually moved to rivals Manchester United. Now City are paying the price.

M.E.N journalist Samuel Luckhurst didn’t hold back when reviewing the catastrophic error of judgement…

Manchester City appear to have won the race for long-term Aston Villa transfer target Julian Alvarez.

That’s according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, and a number of Villa fans have been giving their thoughts to the news on social media.

Villa have been linked with the River Plate attacker since the summer, with the player’s agent Fernando Hidalgo reportedly planning to speak to the Midlands club over a potential move. However, it is Pep Guardiola’s side who look set to announce an €18.5m (£15.43m) transfer for the 21-year-old, who scored 24 goals and registered 18 assists in 2021.

Romano revealed on Tuesday evening that an agreement has been reached with the Premier League champions, and Alvarez will pen a five-year deal at the Etihad Stadium before returning to River Plate on loan until the summer.

Villa fans react

Here is what these Villa supporters had to say in reply to Romano’s post regarding Alvarez, with many of them not exactly thrilled and some thinking it could be a mistake not landing him over the summer.

“Being violently sick right now.”

Credit: @AVFCFaithful_

“Nothing to be said, we bottled it. Now we must get Aaron Hickey in the summer before City do.”

Credit: @ZM_AVFC

“Made a big mistake signing others over him”

Credit: @Jamie_UTV

“I hope it’s because he was never going to sign for us. Otherwise, yeah. Nauseating.”

Credit: @nallivdam

“He won the Ballon D’or for us in my FIFA 21 Villa career. I thought it was a sign when we were linked to him.. clearly not”

Credit: @charliepowellm1

“We had a chance and bottled it.”

Credit: @MogarFinley

In other news: ‘Yessss’ – Many Villa fans buzzing as John Percy shares ‘amazing’ transfer news

Everton defender Nathan Patterson once again impressed for Scotland last night, with BBC Sport Scotland naming him man of the match after the Tartan Army drew 1-1 with Poland in an international friendly.

A 68th-minute goal from Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney appeared to be enough to secure a victory, but despite Krzysztof Piatek’s 94th-minute equaliser from the penalty spot, the performance was encouraging for Scottish fans, and also Evertonians who will be buzzing to see their £16m man shine for his country.

Former Scotland manager Craig Levein said during BBC’s live coverage of the game: “I really like when Scotland come down the right. Nathan Patterson has got the better of his opposite man, we just need to keep feeding him the ball. He’s had two shots, a couple of crosses, and been very effective.

“His attacking skills are probably the best part of his game. In a game with wing-backs where you’re trying to attack down the sides, he’s very, very useful.”

Given 33-year-old Seamus Coleman’s inconsistent form, which has seen him average a poor 6.5 Sofascore match rating in the last four games, it is hugely surprising that Patterson has made just one appearance for the Toffees so far, particularly as he is viewed to be the Irishman’s successor.

The Guardian journalist Ewan Murray spoke of the 20-year-old’s continued omission by Frank Lampard after the Scotland match on Thursday night, saying: “Nathan Patterson’s absence from the Everton team is even more bizarre when you watch him playing like this.”

It’s hard to disagree with that statement after the former Rangers prospect terrorised Spezia left wing-back Arkadiusz Reca, also working Bologna shot-stopper Lukasz Skorupski, having had three shots on target and sending in a number of teasing crosses.

Lampard will surely have taken note of the 20-year-old’s “mobile and aggressive” performance, in the words of Patrick Boyland, with a view to giving him an opportunity in the first team – which you could argue is severely lacking mobility and aggression as they continue to flirt with the relegation zone.

In other news: Everton make contact with “complete” £16.2m-rated star, Lampard desperately needs him

Everton have now made three signings during the first two weeks of the January transfer window, securing deals for Nathan Patterson, Vitaliy Mykolenko and Anwar El Ghazi, but will the club bring in any further reinforcements in the remainder of the month?

What’s the word?

Journalist Alan Myers has taken to his Twitter replies to reveal his thoughts on the possibility of more signings at Goodison Park during January after an Everton fan asked him whether they will see more players coming into the club after the confirmation of El Ghazi’s loan move on Thursday evening.

Myers simply responded: “Don’t know but would guess one or two”

With a right-back, a left-back and a winger secured, Rafael Benitez still has plenty of time to add more players in key positions where the Toffees have been struggling over the first half of the season.

Fans will be buzzing

Everton fans have had to endure an abysmal first half of the season, with the Merseyside club only taking five wins from 18 games so far, and many fans have made no secret of their disgruntlement at what they have experienced so far under Benitez.

The owner Farhad Moshiri and his reckless spending habits have been causing consternation at the club too, which has left them in an delicate situation regarding Financial Fair Play that’s set to hinder their ability to spend money without selling players first.

With protests having been planned, some supporters booing the manager and players at Goodison Park, as well as some leaving after conceding early in the first half of games, many Toffees fans have made it clear that they’re not happy and want change at the club.

Therefore. adding new players with fresh legs and fresh perspective could help to put the club in good stead to get results, climb the table and win over an unhappy fan base.

Benitez will be hoping that his new signings can showcase some of the improvements they can make in their clash with Norwich City at Carrow Road on Saturday, with El Ghazi available to start and Patterson and Mykolenko possibly both being settled in, having each had the best part of two weeks as Everton players.

If they can make an early impact, Myers’ suggestion that the inbound January business may not be done yet could have the Goodison Park faithful buzzing with excitement.

In other news: Benitez is eyeing this ex-Premier League beast as a possible signing