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Matt Doherty’s 93rd-minute equaliser on the road at Shrewsbury sealed Wolves a draw on Saturday afternoon and put a cap on the thrilling FA Cup Fourth Round tie. It also set up a replay that Wolves simply don’t need.

Down 2-0 after 71 minutes against an opponent they never should have trailed to, Wolves clawed their way back with goals from the Raul Jimenez and later Doherty that kept their contention in the competition alive. For a side that’s shown resilience and a knack of fighting back into matches all season long, it was just another example of what Nuno Espirito Santo and his squad are capable of.

As impressive as Wolves’ comeback at New Meadow was though, and the importance the draw holds for keeping them in the domestic competition, it’s now put them in a compromising spot in the Premier League.

Headed into Tuesday’s meeting with West Ham at Molineux, Wolves are still in contention for Europa League qualification, assuming it will once again be lowered to seventh place. Behind Wolves though is a pack of clubs from 9th to 12th – Leicester, West Ham, Everton and Bournemouth – separated by just two points and poised to make the race for seventh as riveting as the title chase and relegation battle.

In the middle of the table from here on out, every point and every match will matter, and it’s why Wolves’ replay with Shrewsbury is a massive disadvantage for the side from the west Midlands.

The FA Cup replay is set to be played on February 5th, right in the middle of a four-match league stretch in which Wolves play three teams trailing them by a maximum of two points. Home for West Ham and away for Everton and Bournemouth over the next four top-flight match days, Wolves are set to jump into what might be their most important run of the season.

It’s a stretch that could catapult them upward or send the season into a spiral, and they’ll now be forced to run through it with the added challenge of an FA Cup match stuck in there as well.

When Wolves reach the replay on February 5th, it will be their third match in eight days. If they win and reach the Fifth Round, they’ll advance to play again midway through the month before what will likely be a crucial match in the seventh-place race at the Vitality Stadium. The road ahead for Wolves is not a pretty one. 

Wolves’ upcoming stretch will be rigorous but not unprecedented; they very well may make it through unscathed. But Wolves have simply made things harder for themselves, and if they stumble in the league over the next month, they’ll regret Saturday’s draw and the subsequent replay that comes with it.

West Brom followed on from their disappointing 2-0 defeat against Preston North End in midweek with yet another loss by the same scoreline, this time in their away clash against Millwall on Saturday.

A brace from striker Benik Afobe secured the win for the east London club and handed the Baggies their fourth defeat in their last six league games.

One player who stood out for West Brom today, but for all the wrong reasons in terms of his performance, was full-back Darnell Furlong.

Furlong did Ismael no favours

In his 90 minutes on the pitch at The Den, the 26-year-old – who is currently picking up £15k-per-week according to Salary Sport – had 46 touches of the ball but lost possession 25 times whilst making just seven accurate passes out of the 20 he attempted, as per SofaScore.

Things weren’t much better for him off the ball either, with Furlong losing seven of his 12 duels and failing to make even one interception or clearance.

This display ultimately earned the Englishman an overall match rating of 6.2/10, making him the lowest-rated outfield West Brom player on the day according to SofaScore, showing just how much of a liability he was against Millwall.

Birmingham Live also picked up on his underwhelming performance by giving him a match rating of 4/10 and saying that his “sloppy challenges often disrupted the flow of play”.

Given West Brom’s disappointing run of form over the past few weeks, with Ismael reportedly clinging on to his job amid speculation that he would be leaving The Hawthorns after their midweek defeat at Preston, this latest disappointment could have sealed the Frenchman’s fate in terms of his future in charge of the club.

With that in mind, the pressure will be on Furlong and the other Albion players to start performing and get their season back on track if they want to have any chance of securing promotion by the end of the campaign.

If that doesn’t happen, they could well cost Ismael his job at West Brom and force the hierarchy to seek yet another new manager to take charge of the team – and potentially end up navigating another season in the Championship.

In other news: West Brom must launch late transfer swoop for “humble” £5.5k-p/w gem, Ismael needs him

West Bromwich Albion manager Valerien Ismael has dropped an update on the condition of both Daryl Dike and Matt Phillips ahead of the Baggies’ upcoming Championship clash.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by the Express & Star, the 46-year-old Albion manager revealed that, following his £7m move from Orlando City earlier this month, the 21-year-old centre-forward is progressing well in his four-week fitness programme, and should be available for the trip to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.

Speaking about the current condition of the USA international, Ismael said: “At the minute Daryl Dike is on his own programme – we have a four-week plan for him. This week he is training with the team with the purpose of building him up for the game at QPR. He’s at a good level. He played with consistency last year and last season.”

The Frenchman also went on to state that Phillips, who had been out of action with a muscle problem picked up back in November until the club’s FA Cup loss to Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend, will once again be available for selection against QPR.

Concerning the 30-year-old winger, Ismael said: “We saw against Brighton that the last five weeks without him, it was very difficult to get something special from the front three. He can keep the ball in the front three. He is able to combine with teammates and he has quality. It’s another player who has come back and has given us more options.”

Ismael will be buzzing

Considering the fact that West Brom have somewhat struggled for goals in their last five outings, finding the back of the net just four times in this run of games, the news that both Dike and Phillips look to be available for selection against Mark Warburton’s impressive QPR side this weekend is sure to have left Ismael buzzing.

Indeed, Dike certainly looks to be a player who knows where the back of the net is, with the £9m-rated striker scoring 11 goals, registering one assist and creating two big chances over his 19 MLS appearances last season, as well as taking an average of 1.8 shots per game.

These returns saw the 21-year-old earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.08, ranking him as Orlando’s third-best performer in the league last time out.

Meanwhile, over Phillips’ 19 Championship fixtures in the current campaign, the £2.7m-rated man has bagged three goals, provided two assists and created two big chances for his teammates, with these metrics seeing the Scotland international average a SofaScore match rating of 6.88.

As such, the availability of both players will undoubtedly provide West Brom’s chances of picking up all three points against their promotion rivals with a significant boost this weekend, something that will certainly be a very pleasing outcome for Ismael.

In other news: Val can finally axe £36k-p/w flop with WBA swoop for 22 y/o dubbed “one of the best”

Leeds United are among a host of Premier League clubs who could potentially sign Derby County youngster Jason Knight, according to Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Knight impresses for Derby

The 20-year-old has become a key performer for Derby despite his tender years, scoring twice and setting up another two goals in 15 Championship appearances this season. Knight has even been compared to Wayne Rooney by the man himself, with the Rams manager clearly impressed by the attitude of his player.

The midfielder’s performances have caught the eye of top-flight clubs, and Leeds would appear to be a potential destination.

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The Latest: Leeds in the race

That has been confirmed by O’Rourke, who told GIVEMESPORT that the Whites are considered as possible suitors for Knight in the January transfer window. He outlined:

“Jason Knight also, a good midfielder, Republic of Ireland international as well. Lots of clubs looking at him.

“There’s the likes of Brighton, Newcastle, Leeds all interested in him, as well as West Ham. So, I think it could be a real battle on for his signature in January.”

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The Verdict: Exciting one for the future

Knight mightn’t necessarily be viewed as an immediate option for Marcelo Bielsa but he possesses the long-term potential to be a key figure for Leeds in the future.

It is vital that the Whites continue to plan ahead rather than solely focusing on the here-and-now, with someone like Kalvin Phillips eventually needing to be replaced, especially if the abundance of transfer rumours regarding the 25-year-old continue into 2022.

It should be stressed that Knight has already won eight caps for the Republic of Ireland, so he has shown that he can compete at a high level, and judging by Rooney’s endorsement of the player, he could significantly strengthen Bielsa’s squad depth at a crucial point in the season.

In other news, one Leeds signing reportedly won’t come cheap. Find out who it is here.

Celtic face a real battle to land Zinedine Ferhat with Trabzonspor ‘on a mission’ to win the race, according to Foot Mercato. 

The lowdown

The French publication originally reported on New Year’s Eve that Nimes Olympique star Ferhat was on The Hoops’ radar.

The 28-year-old, who’s predominantly a right winger but can also play in a central attacking midfield role, is out of contract at the end of the current season.

He’s valued at £4.05million by Transfermarkt, but it’s worth noting that he’s also free to strike a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club ahead of the summer.

The latest

Ferhat has been ‘ardently courted’ by Celtic as well as Ligue 1 outfits Montpellier and Saint-Etienne, but there’s now a chance he ends up in Turkey, according to the French outlet.

Trabzonspor sources have indicated that Ferhat is a ‘priority recruit’, with ‘significant financial resources’ available for the pursuit.

They’re determined to secure his signature and could initiate talks ‘in the coming days’.

The verdict

Celtic should make a big push to see off Trabzonspor – Zerhat’s 2020/21 season was hugely impressive, as he combined six goals with ten assists for a side that finished down in 19th and suffered relegation.

Only Lyon’s Memphis Depay, who subsequently joined FC Barcelona, set up more goals in the French top flight last term.

Celtic started the January window strongly but the tide seems to be turning. They lost out to Middlesbrough after holding talks with Riley McGree and now Blackburn-bound Dilan Markanday seems to evaded them.

Ange Postecoglou may be frustrated if another target moves elsewhere.

In other news, Frank McAvennie thinks this summer signing could leave.

After an impressive run of seven league games unbeaten, Crystal Palace now finds themselves on the back of three consecutive defeats in the Premier League going into their home clash against Everton on Sunday afternoon.

It appears as though Patrick Vieira will need to make some alterations to his side in order to refind the solidity that saw the Eagles go two months without defeat.

Here is how Football FanCast believes the South London side will line up against the Toffees.

In defence, Palace fans will be delighted to see the return of right-back Joel Ward after suspension, who will take the place of second-choice Nathaniel Clyne who started against Manchester United last Sunday. As for the rest of the backline, it’s the same faces.

There’s no change in the midfield, despite Jeff Schlupp’s lacklustre performance at Old Trafford last weekend, completing just nine passes at a success rate of 54%. That is down to the fact that midfielder James McArthur is still unavailable with a thigh injury.

The Eagles have really missed the services of the 34-year-old, failing to win any of their last four games, all of which the Scotsman has missed.

As expected, Conor Gallagher and Cheikhou Kouyaté lineup alongside each other yet again in the middle of the park, with the midfielders racking up a combined 27 league appearances so far this term.

In attack, there’s a second change from the defeat to United, with Odsonne Edouard replacing Jordan Ayew. The £7.2m-rated Ghanaian is yet to score this season and has been labelled a “liability” by some of the Palace faithful.

Edouard is naturally a striker but has been deployed out wide in a front-three before by Vieira this season and his three league goals so far this term should add extra firepower to the Palace frontline.

Wilfried Zaha and Christian Benteke have both looked sharp at times this campaign, both having four league goals to their name thus far and will be the men Palace look upon to win the game.

An update has emerged on Rangers’ pursuit of a new defender amid talks of a new manager arriving at Ibrox…

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, the Gers are one of the clubs considering a swoop for Hearts central defender John Souttar ahead of the January transfer window.

The report claims Nottingham Forest and Stoke are also interested in Souttar, with Hearts potentially ready to cash in on him to avoid the defensive titan leaving on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Instant hit

Giovanni van Bronckhorst has reportedly held a second round of talks with Rangers and could become the new manager of the club this week. If he does get the job then he should start to think about what he wants to do in the January transfer window, which is where Souttar comes into play.

The Dutchman could become an instant hit at Ibrox, if he isn’t already, by securing a deal to sign the 25-year-old to bolster the squad. Connor Goldson and Leon Balogun are both out of contract at the end of the season and Souttar could be a superb replacement for either of them.

Former Hearts boss Craig Levein once heaped praise on the defender and hailed his development at the club. He said:

“I’ve known him since he was 12 years old and he’s just got better and better. When he came here from Dundee Utd, we just needed to give him time.

“He’s grown into the player that I hoped he would be and for me he’s the best centre back in Scotland.

“Just for the fact that he can do wonderful things. His passing of the ball Saturday was fantastic, but he is also now capable physically of competing with any centre forward. His pace is very, very good and he’s strong, focused and aggressive.”

This highlights the level he has been playing at in Scotland in recent years, with Levein believing him to be the best centre-back in the division at the time of these quotes. His comments on his passing also suggests that he could suit Rangers’ possession style, with an ability to play out from the back.

The £3.1k-per-week beast has averaged a phenomenal WhoScored rating of 7.27 in the Premiership this term, whilst scoring three goals in 11 starts. Balogun and Goldson, meanwhile, have averaged scores of 7.06 and 7.00 respectively, suggesting that fans would love to see Souttar come in as he has shown that he can perform to a higher standard consistently in the same division this season.

Therefore, van Bronckhorst could make himself an instant hit with the supporters by making a major addition to the squad in Souttar. The defender has proven that he can excel in the Premiership and put in consistent, strong, displays and Rangers could benefit from his talents if they lose one, or both, of Goldson or Balogun.

AND in other news, “I’m told..”: Journo drops Rangers manager update that’ll surely please fans…

Celtic supporters should ‘love’ the fact that shareholder Dermot Desmond is a lifelong Hoops fan, according to finance expert Doctor Dan Plumley.

The Lowdown: Desmond a lifelong fan

The 71-year-old has been hugely involved at Parkhead since 1995, having also owned part of Manchester United before the Glazer family’s takeover in the 2000s.

Desmond recently stressed that he wouldn’t sell his stake in the club even if he offered ‘three or four times the share price’, such is his love for Celtic.

While billionaires aren’t always universally loved by supporters, Plumley believes the situation is different with Desmond.

The Latest: Expert provides thoughts on billionaire

Speaking to Football Insider, the ‘finance guru’ stressed that the Irishman’s Celtic roots should be something that supporters admire in their shareholders:

“There are good and bad aspects to this. Most fans would argue that it is a good thing to have a genuine supporter of the club in charge.

“Business investment probably takes on a slightly different form as a fan. But the flip side is that if somebody did offer three or four times the share price, they might have the potential to grow the club even further.

“That is a very hypothetical situation, but you can see the good and bad here. However, in general, most fans would love to keep an owner who is passionate and personally invested in the club.”

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The Verdict: Makes a fair point

While Plumley’s comments could be divisive due to Desmond not necessarily always pleasing Celtic supporters, he does make a fair point.

If you know you have a fellow fan in charge high up, it instantly suggests that big decisions made will be in the best interests of the club, rather than by billionaires who care more about their wealth.

The Hoops could certainly have worse majority shareholders than Desmond and it could be a case of only fully appreciating him when he eventually moves on.

In other news, Celtic have been backed to seal the signing of one player. Find out who it is here.

Everton struggled to find any consistency in their form in the first half of the season during 2021, and it seems their ill fate has followed them into the new year, as Rafa Benitez’s side put on another poor performance at Goodison Park this afternoon.

The Toffees conceded their ninth defeat in the Premier League this season, losing 3-2 to Graham Potter’s Brighton in front of the fans at home, with Anthony Gordon’s two goals not enough to gain even a single point out of the game.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin made his highly anticipated return to the starting lineup and made the headlines for all the wrong reasons with a missed penalty that hit the woodwork in the 25th minute.

Lucas Digne was still missing in the side, where Benitez decided to play a three at the back formation, with Seamus Coleman playing out of position in the left wing-back position which was a decision that didn’t pay off in the end.

In the 53rd minute the £120k-per-week midfielder bagged an assist, supplying Gordon with a swooping pass that resulted in a finished attempt in the back of the net for the 20-year-old forward.

However, one player who did manage to orchestrate a worthy performance for his team today was Brazilian midfielder Allan, who returned to the starting line up for the first time since Everton’s energetic win over Arsenal on the 6th of December, which also happens to be the last time they won a game.

According to SofaScore, Allan, who was hailed “vital” by pundit, Darren Fletcher last season, had the best pass accuracy overall in the midfield line today with 78%, whilst winning 71% of his duels during the 87 minutes played before he was subbed off for Andre Gomes.

One fan took to Twitter to praise his individual performance amongst a number of poor performances around him, calling for him to become captain;

“Give Allan the armband the rest of the campaign. Passion.”

Everton missed out on a home advantage opportunity to take three points from today’s game, and continue to sit in the bottom half of the Premier League table, the Spanish manager is in a position to strengthen the team by making new additions during the transfer window to revive the season and add fresh legs into the team.

In other news: Benitez could sign Ainsley Maitland-Niles in January

Neco Williams will be available for Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Porto this week after recovering from injury, according to journalist James Pearce.

The Lowdown: Williams misses Arsenal win

The Reds were in irresistible form on Saturday evening, winning 4-0 at home to Arsenal to keep within four points of Premier League leaders Chelsea.

Among numerous other players, Williams was unavailable for Liverpool, with the Welshman picking up an injury in the week leading up to the game. However, it appears as though the right-back’s absence was only a short-term one.

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The Latest: Pearce gives positive update

Speaking in a Q&A for The Athletic after Saturday’s game, Pearce confirmed that he expects Williams to be available for the Champions League clash with Porto on Wednesday night.

In addressing the fitness of various players for the Arsenal game and forthcoming matches, the journalist revealed: “Neco Williams out due to muscle tightness and expected to be back for midweek.”

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The Verdict: Chance to shine

With Liverpool already through to the last 16 of the Champions League as group winners, Wednesday’s match at Anfield will be an ideal opportunity for Jurgen Klopp to rotate his squad and give fringe players a chance to shine.

Williams will almost certainly be one of those, coming in for Trent Alexander-Arnold and looking to take his impressive recent international form to the club stage.

He was hailed as ‘fearless’ by journalist Henry Winter earlier in the week, and assuming he is fit enough to feature, a big performance against Porto could suggest that Liverpool don’t need to consider looking at bringing in a new backup option for Alexander-Arnold in forthcoming transfer windows.

In other news, one pundit has made a key claim regarding Liverpool’s transfer business next summer. Read more here.