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The La Galaxy defender's error led to El Tri taking the lead on Wednesday, and it remains to be seen if he has a future at international level

We'll start with a disclaimer: this match was one to forget. Not much can truly be learned from the U.S. men's national team's 1-1 draw with Mexico because of the circumstances. They were unusual, to say the least.

Two less-than-full strength teams in a midweek friendly sandwiched between league matches? There's only so much you can truly take away from something like that.

Wednesday's match was, by and large, a meandering, disjointed, forgettable affair between two teams that have bigger clashes on the horizon. Still, this was a night for players on the fringes to make their mark, even if few did.

There were some standouts, though, for the USMNT, as several players a bit further down the depth chart put in strong performances. Others, meanwhile, faltered, calling into question where they'll stand heading into a summer that includes both the Gold Cup and Nations League.

We'll learn more from those two tournaments than we will from this night, that's for sure. Even so, look at this draw as a little taste of what's to come for a USMNT still sorting out its player pool so early in the World Cup cycle.

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  WINNER: Jesus Ferreira

  The best part of being an attacking player: all it takes is one good moment.

  That's exactly what Ferreira provided on Wednesday night: just the one. He was largely poor and could have been a candidate to be named among this one's losers given his impact, or lack thereof, through 80 minutes or so.

  But goals change games, right? Well, they also change opinions.

  Ferreira definitely didn't have a good game, but there does need to be context to it all. Starting as a second striker, the FC Dallas star was given a new assignment. By the second half, he was back up top and, in the 81st minute, he was able to tap home Jordan Morris' cross for the equalizer.

  Ferreira is still in the striker race, although it is quite crowded at this point. It remains to be seen if he even projects as a striker at the international level, given his skillset as more of a facilitator.

  But none of that really matters for now. On Wednesday, Ferreira got his goal, his one good moment, to make something of a good impression.

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  LOSER: Aaron Long

  Post-World Cup, Long very much finds himself on the fringes, and players on the fringes can't make mistakes like he did for Mexico's goal.

  To be fair, the mistake wasn't his alone. Kellyn Acosta put him in a bad spot with his ill-advised backpass, for sure. Still, Long did little to rectify situation as his touch played in Uriel Antuna for Mexico's opener.

  The LAFC defender already finds himself a bit further down the depth chart, having been a key part of last cycle. He's just 30, so it isn't out of the question to see him stick around this cycle, although it will be difficult given some of the rising stars in the pool.

  With so many established players ahead of him and a few younger stars coming up behind him, Long's place with the national team is far from secure, and he surely didn't help his case in this one.

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  WINNER: Alan Sonora & Aiden Morris

  Anthony Hudson admitted that his tactical tweaks weren't preplanned. Rather, they were an adjustment to the game that was unfolding in front of him.

  Hudson, though, got those tweaks right, with the two midfielders he tossed into the fray helping to steady the game.

  Thrown on shortly after Mexico's goal, Sonora and Morris entered the match as the U.S. shifted to a five-man defense. From that point on, by and large, the U.S. looked better, with the midfielders getting some credit for that.

  Sonora was the standout of the two, with his magnificent pass setting up Jordan Morris to, eventually, set up Ferreira. The Juarez star is a more creative player than many midfielders in the pool and, in a game like this, he offers something of a spark off the bench that few others can.

  Morris, meanwhile, was hailed as "fantastic" by Hudson. He's been spectacular in MLS with the Columbus Crew and, although he didn't look as confident as he has at the club level, he showed some signs of why he could play a part this cycle.

  Both have a long way to go and both need more looks, but a positive performance from the two supersubs.

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  LOSER: Brandon Vazquez

  All week, it felt like this could have been Brandon Vazquez's big coming out party with the USMNT.

  It certainly was set up to be. Facing off with Mexico, the country he was eligible to represent, Vazquez started up top with a chance to continue to make his case in the striker race.

  It didn't happen. In fact, not much of anything happened.

  Limited to just 15 touches, Vazquez was largely a passenger in this one. The FC Cincinnati star simply couldn't get into the game, through little fault of his own, it must be said. With the U.S. as a whole struggling, their striker had so little to do before being hooked in the second half.

  Unfortunate for Vazquez, for sure. Brighter days may be ahead for the striker, but this had so much potential to be one of the brightest so far before it all went wrong.

How to watch Inter vs Monza in Serie A in the US as well as kick-off time and team news.

Inter will lock horns with Monzain a Serie A fixture at San Siro on Saturday.

▶ Watch Inter vs Monza live on Paramount+ today!

Prior to the 2-2 in the reverse fixture, the previous seven meetings between Inter and Monza (1929 onwards)

had all been played in the Coppa Italia, with the Nerazzurri recording five wins, one draw and one defeat.

Inter are unbeaten in their last 28 Serie A matches against newly promoted opponents (W24 D4), netting 78 goals in the process (2.8 on average per match).

They have slipped out of the top four after three losses and a draw in their last four games and will be desperate to return to winning ways.

No team has scored more Serie A goals in the first 30 minutes of games than Inter this season (17, level with Napoli) and should look to strike early again in front of the home fans.

Meanwhile, Monza have failed to score in three of their last seven league games. Hence, they also have struggled to get points in the recent past succumbing to three draws and one loss in their past four games. However, they still find themselves in the 13th spot, 13 points off relegation-threatened Verona which should please club president Silvio Berlusconi.

GOAL brings you details on how to watch the game on TV in the U.S., UK and India as well as how to stream live online.

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  Kick-off time

  Game:	Inter vs Monza
  Date:	April 15, 2023
  Kick-off:	3:45 pm EDT
  Venue:	San Siro

  The game is scheduled for April 15, 2023, at San Siro. It will kick off at 3:45 pm EDT in the US.

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  How to watch Inter vs Monza online – TV channels & live streams

  TV channels & streaming options

  Country	TV channel	Live stream
  US	NA	Paramount+, Fubo TV

  In theUnited States (US) it is can be streamed live on Paramount+ and Fubo TV.

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  Team news & squads

  Inter team news

  Although Inter can hardly afford to drop futher points as they are chasing a top-four berth, Simone Inzaghi might be lured to rest a few key players against the 13th-ranked side as he will have an eye on the Champions League clash with Benfica.

  Milan Skriniar (back) and Turkish midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu (adductor) will be missed due to injuries which could pave the way for Danilo D'Ambrosio and Robin Gosens to get into the starting XI.

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Onana, Handanovic, Cordaz
  Defenders	Bastoni, De Vrij, Acerbi, Dimarco, Fontanarosa, Dalbert, Bellanova, Darmian, Zanotti, D'Ambrosio.
  Midfielders	Brozovic, Asllani, Barella, Gagliardini, Dumfries, Gosens, Mkhitaryan, Carboni
  Forwards	Correa, Martinez, Lukaku, Dzeko

  Monza team news

  Dany Mota will miss this fixture but Monza have Gianluca Caprari back from suspension to partner with Andrea Petagna up front.

  It will be interesting to see Inter loanee Stefano Sensi feature against his parent club with former Inter player Luca Caldirola likely to be on the bench.

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Gregorio, Cragno, Sorrentino, Lamanna.
  Defenders	Marlon, Mari, Izzo, Caldirola, Antov, Marrone, Augusto, Carboni, Birindelli, Donati.
  Midfielders	Rovella, Barberis, Pessina, Sensi, Colpani, Valotti, Machin, Viganto.
  Forwards	Ciurria, D'Alessandro, Caprari, Petagna, Gytkjaer, Maric.

  Head-to-head record

  Date	Result	Competition
  08/01/2023	Monza 2-2 Inter	Serie A
  12/09/1990	Inter 2-1 Monza	Coppa Italia

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David Moyes should repeat his genius trick of starting West Ham defender Ryan Fredericks in midfield amid claims of a potential recall against Manchester United.

That’s according to Claret & Hugh, who claim it is likely that Fredericks could open the action at Old Trafford to help Vladimir Coufal double-up on Dan James or Anthony Martial, one of whom will almost certainly line up against him due to Marcus Rashford’s expected absence this Sunday.

Moyes pulled off the same move during the Irons’ 3-1 win away to Aston Villa at the start of last month, with Fredericks and Coufal combining well to thwart Jack Grealish.

West Ham are set to make at least one change to the starting line-up against Manchester United on Sunday, due to January loan signing Jesse Lingard being ineligible to play against his parent club.

Lingard is expected to be the sole member of the squad that beat Leeds United 2-0 on Monday night to be unable to face Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, with Claret and Hugh adding that Moyes has no new injury concerns.

The Red Devils loanee opened the scoring for West Ham against the Whites after tucking home the rebound from his missed penalty kick, with Illan Meslier only able to push the former England international’s strike back into the centre of the box.

Lingard has now been involved in six goals in as many games since moving to the London Stadium, scoring four times and assisting twice, more than any other West Ham player in the same period with Michail Antonio second with two goals and two assists to his name.

Rashford had been enjoying a strong vein of form with Manchester United before sustaining an ankle injury last weekend, with the £72m-rated speedster netting twice and creating three chances for his Red Devils teammates in his last seven Premier League outings.

Solskjaer will now be expected to turn to one of James or Martial for West Ham’s visit to Old Trafford, having recently lauded the Wales international for having an X-factor through his “work-rate, pace, [and] running behind teams”. He also noted that “class is permanent and the kid has got class” in reference to Martial’s dip in output from last season.

Moyes could look to limit the threat of James, Martial or Rashford, if he’s somehow passed fit, by recalling Fredericks away to Manchester United, having not started the £3.5m-rated gem in the Premier League since beating Aston Villa and omitting the 28-year-old from West Ham’s last three matchday squads due to a groin strain.

Fredericks struck his first goal of the season in his last outing at home to Sheffield United on February 15, having come off the bench in stoppage-time and combining well with Said Benrahma in the Blades’ penalty area.

It was his defensive exploits alongside Coufal that impressed Moyes against Dean Smith’s Villans, having drafted the natural defender in for only his fifth of six starts this season in all competitions to add something new to the side.

“We felt as if we needed Ryan Fredericks with his speed and to give us something slightly different as we were up against a really good player in that area as well in Jack Grealish,” the Hammers boss said following the game. “Between them, him and Vladimir Coufal did a very good job.”

Fredericks also shed a light on how he and Coufal went about limiting Grealish – who is one of the Premier League’s most creative players with 76 key passes and 14 big chances created to his name, only Bruno Fernandes (77 key balls, 17 big chances) and Kevin de Bruyne (71 key balls, 16 big chances) are as productive, per SofaScore.

“He’s a very good player, so I came in to give Vladi a bit of help and we did a good job doubling up,” he said. “I think he went and spent a bit of time playing centrally and on the other side because he wasn’t really getting much of the ball, so we did our job.”

Moyes should now look to repeat that trick to see Coufal and Fredericks double up on whoever Solskjaer deploys and force Manchester United to play away from the left-wing and toward Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek on Sunday.

AND in other news, West Ham face a £43m asking price to land a 24-y/o ace who “never gets tired”…

Two players that missed the World Cup stole the show as the U.S. took down El Salvador to book their spot in the Nations League semifinals

If this match was anything to go by, the U.S. men's national team probably missed both Ricardo Pepi and Miles Robinson at the World Cup.

Both missed out on Qatar for different reasons: Robinson due to an Achilles injury and Pepi due to a total loss of form and confidence following a failed move to Augsburg. But both are now very much back in the picture, having put in incredible performances in the 1-0 win over El Salvador.

It served as a reminder of what many people already knew: that these two are over their terrible 2022 and back to the form that might them so vital just one year prior.

Both look to have big futures, both in 2023 in beyond, with both emerging as big winners from this match and this camp. On a night where the USMNT was slightly lethargic, both provided what was neccessary to see off a very game El Salvador team that, at times, looked ready to steal a result.

They ultimately didn't and, because of that, the USMNT are onto the Nations League semifinals. Will we see Pepi and Robinson there? Almost certainly. After some time away, both are right back in the mix.

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  WINNER: Ricardo Pepi

  The hype train was off the tracks for a while, but Pepi is well and truly back.

  After scoring twice against Grenada, he added another against El Salvador off the bench: a fantastic chipped finish. It came just moments after he came into the game and it ultimately won the USMNT the game. Can't make much more of an impact than that, right?

  Pepi had quite the impact this camp and, although you do have to note the opposition, it's a welcome site for the USMNT. There's a pretty serious chance that he just played his way right back to the top of the No. 9 depth chart after tumbling down it due to his loss of confidence in 2022.

  He's confident now as he'll head back to Groningen to help them fight relegation. Where he ends up after that, who knows? It'll be an interesting summer for 20-year-old forward.

  But, whatever happens on the club level, Pepi should plan to be right back with the USMNT the next time the full team gathers in June

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  LOSER: El Salvador

  Not a loser in the sense that they did anything wrong, but more a loser in the sense that they probably deserved more.

  USMNT head coach Anthony Hudson pointed out that it was a game of two halves and, by and large, he was right. In the first half, the U.S. struggled to match El Salvador's intensity, with Hugo Perez, the former USMNT midfielder and U.S. Soccer youth coach, getting the very best out of his team despite the obvious talent gap.

  That is the theme with Perez's teams: he gets the best out of them. El Salvador under Perez is a completely different team than those of yesteryear. They're well-drilled, energetic and, most importantly, competitive.

  This El Salvador team is a one that could stun a few of the traditional CONCACAF powers, much like they nearly did in the 1-1 draw with the USMNT last year that was only saved by a late Jordan Morris goal. With Gold Cup and World Cup qualifying right around the corner, there should be brighter days than this ahead for Perez's program.

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  WINNER: Miles Robinson

  For a player that just missed about a year with a devastating injury, Robinson didn't look half bad.

  In fact, he looked incredible. He may well have been the USMNT's best player: a dominant superstar of a centerback that looked so, so comfortable.

  "The one recovery run that he had, he looked like he was shot off with rockets," said his centerback partner Tim Ream.

  The pace that helped made Robinson a star in MLS is still there, and so too is a super smart and cerebral approach to defending. Every time El Salvador got him one-on-one, Robinson swatted them away with ease. If he wasn't running so damn fast, you'd think he wasn't getting out of first gear.

  It makes you wonder just what might have been if he had been healthy at the World Cup. When healthy, Robinson is still probably the guy for the USMNT, and seeing him fit and playing again is great news heading into the summer.

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  LOSER: USMNT wide players

  A big overarching theme on this one: the USMNT's wingers and fullbacks just didn't quite look in sync.

  On one side, Christian Pulisic and Antonee Robinson, neither of whom had their best games in the attacking end. Pulisic's first touch let him down a few times, although he nearly did score a stunner late. Robinson, meanwhile, was solid enough defensively, but was a bit wayward with his crosses in a game where those were very available.

  The other side? Not much better. Alejandro Zendejas popped up in some good spaces, but wasn't quite as impactful as he had been in his first two appearances, while Sergino Dest had his attacking spirit, but the crispness of a player that is barely playing for Milan. The two of them struggled to combine early, but eventually improved as the game wore on, to be fair.

  It's nitpicking, to be fair, as all involved have looked fantastic for the USMNT in most of their appearances. Still, on this night, if one side was on, this one could have been a bit more comfortable than it was.

Manchester United are some way off the league crown this season, lagging 14 points behind rivals Manchester City.

One way that the Red Devils are reportedly attempting to close the gap is by making a big-money move for Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland.

It is easy to see why they, and as a matter of fact, many clubs around Europe are interested in the forward.

Since joining the German giants from Red Bull Salzburg, he has plundered an eye-watering 43 goals in just 45 appearances. Pundits such as Jermain Jenas have even labelled him as “complete” at just 20 years of age.

However, it could be argued that the Red Devils simply do not need the forward despite Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reportedly being “in regular contact” with the player and therefore seemingly keen on a deal for his compatriot.

In having the likes of Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani, Mason Greenwood, Anthony Martial and even Bruno Fernandes already at the club, United are more than capable of putting the ball in the back of the net.

Indeed, they are the second-highest scorers in the league this season with 53 goals. It is simply not their goalscoring which has left them lagging behind Pep Guardiola’s men.

It is instead at the other end of the pitch where their standards have fallen low. United have already conceded 33 goals in the Premier League this season. Only Everton in the current top six have shipped more.

With it being reported that recruiting a new centre back is being considered by the club, the fee that it would take to bring Haaland to Old Trafford could be spent more smartly.

Currently rated at £99m, it might well be suspected that an even higher fee could be demanded by Dortmund for them to even contemplate letting their star depart – eliminating a vast chunk of United’s transfer budget.

A lack of a move could anger Solskjaer considering his apparent interest in his fellow Norwegian, but the funds being spent on other parts of the squad make a lot more sense at the current time for Ed Woodward and the Old Trafford hierarchy.

AND in other news, read why we believe Dean Henderson has to stay in goal even when David De Gea returns to action…

As Salah, Nunez and Co. failed, Leicester's Belgian defender rescued Klopp's side with a pair of comical own goals at Anfield

Liverpool’s top-four charge is gathering pace, but they had an unlikely hero to thank for this latest victory.

It wasn’t Mohamed Salah or Darwin Nunez who edged them to their fourth successive Premier League win, but Wout Faes. The Leicester defender provided the Christmas comedy at Anfield, scoring two own goals as the Reds stumbled their way to a 2-1 success, and moved to within two points of Tottenham as a result.

Leicester had led courtesy of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s fourth-minute strike, and with Liverpool well below par, Brendan Rodgers’ side were on course for a morale-boosting result until, in farcical fashion, Faes turned the game on its head within a hapless, hopeless seven-minute spell.

First, he needlessly diverted Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross into his own net, and then, in first-half stoppage time, he repeated the trick after Darwin Nunez’s shot had come back off the post.

His side never recovered, although with Liverpool miles below their best, the second half remained a nervy affair, with Nunez and Salah missing opportunities to seal the points and Alisson Becker denying Harvey Barnes at the other end.

Here, GOAL runs through the winners and losers of an error-strewn contest…

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  The Winners

  Thiago Alcantara:

  It wasn't hard to spot Liverpool's best player here. He was wearing the No.6 and doing the work of three men in midfield.

  Thiago struggled at Aston Villa on Boxing Day, but he was back to his best here, and Liverpool were extremely grateful for that.

  The Spaniard was on the ball more than anyone else on the field, switching the play effortlessly, beating opponents with a subtle drop of the shoulder and moving the ball through the thirds with speed and accuracy.

  He kept winning it back, too. He made more tackles and more interceptions than anyone in Red, and drew six fouls as Leicester's midfield struggled to get to grips with him.

  With so many of his teammates below par, this was a night where the former Bayern Munich man's class stood out a mile.

  Trent Alexander-Arnold:

  He might technically still be waiting for a first league assist of the season, but Alexander-Arnold certainly left his mark on this game.

  It was his cross which led to Liverpool's equaliser, but it was his work defensively which stood out more, as he comprehensively won his battle with Harvey Barnes down the Reds' right flank.

  For all the criticism aimed his way, this was a proper performance from the England international, who was alert to get a toe on Jamie Vardy's cross in the first half, and then dogged and determined to repeatedly stop Barnes from breaking away in the second.

  He can influence games more with his passing and crossing than he did here, but this was a night for Liverpool to dig deep and get through. Nobody embodied that more than their No.66.

  Cody Gakpo:

  There was a Dutchman in the middle of Liverpool's defence and one in the middle of Anfield's Main Stand, as Gakpo, the Reds' new £44 million ($52m) signing watched his new teammates in action following his move from PSV Eindhoven.

  He was smiling by the end, and no wonder. It isn't hard to see where he will fit into this team, and it surely won't be long before we see him in action.

  Brentford on Monday, maybe? Klopp says that he will need training before he's considered for selection, but with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain anything but convincing as a left-sided forward, Gakpo will surely be part of the travelling party in west London, and will almost certainly make his Anfield bow in the FA Cup against Wolves.

  Klopp will hope he can hit the ground running.

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  The Losers

  Wout Faes:

  Sometimes it isn't your night, and sometimes it isn't.

  Wout Faes must have run over a black cat at some point during the festive period. How else can you explain his misfortune here, as the Leicester centre-back single-handedly dragged Liverpool back into a game that looked like it was slipping away from them during a wretched first 45 minutes.

  The Belgian became only the fourth player to score two own goals in a Premier League game, and only the second ever to do so in a match against Liverpool. The last time was in August 1959, when Cardiff's Danny Malloy did so.

  Liverpool lost that game 3-2, but they held on to win this one, the Kop ruthlessly taunting Faes with cries of 'shoot!' every time he received possession in the second half. He didn't oblige, of course, although he nearly handed the Reds another goal, shanking a clearance under pressure from Nunez, with Ward bailing him out by saving from Salah.

  A night to forget, for the 24-year-old.

  Jordan Henderson:

  He's played more than 450 games for Liverpool, has Jordan Henderson, but he can't have played too many worse than this one.

  Pressed into action as the deepest midfielder, with Fabinho awaiting the birth of his first child, Henderson struggled from the word go here. Leggy and lethargic, careless in possession and unable to plug the huge gaps in the centre of the field, the England international could barely hide his frustrations as he stumbled through the 90 minutes.

  He was missing in action as Leicester took the lead, Dewsbury-Hall able to stride through unchallenged, and he struggled to get close as Rodgers' side were able to pop the ball about and play around the Reds' midfield.

  He kept going, as he always does, but this was not a night to soothe concerns over the midfield options at Klopp's disposal. Liverpool need one now, and they need another one in the summer.

  Brendan Rodgers:

  Anfield gave Leicester's manager more than a few fond memories during his time as Reds boss, but he's had nothing but misery since he left the place in 2015.

  This was Rodgers' fifth visit with the Foxes, and he's lost them all, his side finding various ways to avoid picking up a positive result. Remember last season's penalty shootout loss in the Carabao Cup, or James Milner's stoppage-time winner in 2019?

  Here, his players scored three times and Liverpool's scored none, yet it was Jurgen Klopp who was smiling at the end.

  Rodgers always gets a nice reception from the home fans, but he won't want to return any time soon.

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  Liverpool Ratings: Defence

  Alisson Becker (7/10):

  Solid distribution and a big save from Barnes at 2-1. Helpless for the goal.

  Trent Alexander-Arnold (7/10):

  One of the better players on the night. Cross led to the equaliser and he defended stoutly against Barnes.

  Joel Matip (7/10):

  Went for a wander for the first goal, but didn't put a foot wrong thereafter.

  Virgil van Dijk (7/10):

  Won all his headers and handled Vardy's pace comfortably.

  Andy Robertson (5/10):

  Had a nightmare in the first half, stepping up to play offside as Dewsbury-Hall ran through to score and wasting possession carelessly. Replaced just after the hour mark.

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  Midfield

  Jordan Henderson (4/10):

  Dreadful for the opening goal and gave the ball away repeatedly in a poor first half

  Thiago Alcantara (8/10):

  The best player on the pitch. Passed it well, drew fouls and won the ball back over and over again.

  Harvey Elliott (5/10):

  Mixed some nice touches and purposeful play with some sloppy passes. Didn't cover the spaces in midfield.

The summer signing marked his home debut with two goals and two assists to send the Emirates into raptures

Midway through the first half of Saturday's thrilling 4-2 win over Leicester at a bouncing Emirates Stadium, Edu was seen sporting the biggest of smiles as he looked down at his phone, having no doubt been inundated with messages of congratulations after Gabriel Jesus' first goal for Arsenal.

It was to get even better for the technical director and his big summer signing, who added his second shortly before the break before then racking up assists for Granit Xhaka and Gabriel Martinelli as Mikel Arteta's men maintained their winning start to the new Premier League campaign.

Arsenal clearly remain a work in progress but the depression that followed last season's late collapse has now given way to boundless optimism, and Jesus is the main reason why…

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  The Winners

  Gabriel Jesus:

  Home debuts don't get much better than this. There was always the feeling that Jesus was perfect for Arsenal, and vice versa, and his pre-season performances were hugely encouraging. However, after drawing a blank in last weekend's win at Crystal Palace, the striker was under a little pressure to perform. Luckily, he did just that, proving almost unplayable at times. His first goal was sublime, Jesus curling the ball into the top corner with almost no back-lift; his second, a pure poacher's finish, illustrating exactly what Arsenal lacked last season. These are very early days, of course, but Jesus and Arteta's Arsenal really do look like a match made in heaven.

  Gabriel Martinelli:

  Jesus was the obvious choice for man of the match but Martinelli ran his compatriot close. Indeed, he absolutely tormented Wesley Fofana during the first half with his pace and trickery down the left flank. His goal was just reward for a scintillating display and, given he also netted at Selhurst Park, the feeling is growing that Martinelli is set for a massive season if he can stay injury-free.

  VAR:

  Leicester were very nearly gifted a route back into the game just before half-time when Darren England pointed to the spot for an apparent foul on Jamie Vardy by Aaron Ramsdale. However, VAR intervened, offering the referee the opportunity to review the incident. And rightly so. Ramsdale had made minimal contact with Vardy – if any at all. The striker complained, but meekly, knowing full well that he had been guilty of a pathetic dive. He fully deserved the boos he received after the 'foul' was replayed on the big screen moments after England had rightly over-ruled his original decision. This was a fine example of how VAR is meant to work.

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  The Losers

  William Saliba:

  What a start to the season for William Saliba! The Frenchman turned in an immaculate performance against Palace, deservedly picking up the man of the match award on his first appearance for Arsenal. His second, though, saw him score an own goal which halved his side's advantage early in the second half. It was a poor, unnecessary error, with Saliba heading a long punt forward past Ramsdale. But the centre-half's overall performance was decent, particularly in terms of regaining possession, and he will undoubtedly benefit from having learned very early on in his Arsenal career that the highs and lows come thick and fast in the Premier League.

  Brendan Rodgers:

  There was a time when the Northern Irishman was being linked with the Arsenal job but it seems an awful long time ago now. Rodgers has done excellent work at Leicester but after an uninspiring summer window, there is an undeniable feeling that the wheels are starting to come off. The Foxes may have scored twice at the Emirates but, after a bright start, they faded badly and only the threat of Vardy and James Maddison kept them in the game. Right now, Leicester and Arsenal look like two sides moving in very different directions. And the same goes for their respective managers.

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  Arsenal Ratings: Defence

  Ramsdale (6/10):

  Made a big save early on from Fofana to keep the game scoreless but even though the penalty given against him was overruled, the goalkeeper needs to ask why he had come rushing out of his goal in the first place. He won't be happy with having conceded two goals given Leicester's XG was 0.4.

  White (7/10):

  He may not have offered anything like the same threat down the right flank as Zinchenko on the left but that's hardly surprising for a man that has spent the majority of his Arsenal career at centre-back. An unspectacular but solid showing.

  Saliba (6/10):

  Anything but flawless this week, with his own goal the result of a lack of awareness. He also gave away a couple of unnecessary fouls in dangerous positions but he still won the ball back 10 times – more than anyone else on the pitch.

  Gabriel (7/10):

  A decent display from the Brazilian, who was also always a threat at set-pieces.

  Zinchenko (8/10):

  A constant threat down the left wing, where he repeatedly combined well with Martinelli. His pressing also sparked a couple of menacing counterattacks, while he also repeatedly stepped into midfield to excellent effect.

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  Midfield

  Partey (5/10):

  Put himself about and competed well in the air but his passing was desperately poor.

  Xhaka (8/10):

  A dynamic display from the Swiss, who looked to get forward at every opportunity and was rewarded for his adventure with a goal.

  Odegaard (6/10):

  Elegant as ever on the ball and contributed to some exciting attacks but perhaps not as involved as he would have liked, overall.

Tottenham Hotspur take a break from league action as they look to continue their quest towards silverware under Jose Mourinho with an FA Cup fifth-round tie at Everton.

The north London outfit finally ended a run of three straight defeats by beating troubled West Brom 2-0 over the weekend, thanks to the returning Harry Kane and Heung-min Son reigniting their prolific partnership.

But Mourinho is left with plenty to ponder as games are coming thick and fast once more…

On the Chalkboard

One decision facing the Special One is in the attack.

Yes, we’re likely to see Kane and Son both start, but the other places are surely up for grabs.

Against the Baggies, Mourinho handed rare Premier League starts to both Lucas Moura, who played in the no.10 role, and Erik Lamela, who was deployed out on the right.

Earlier this week, we outlined why the Brazilian still has a big part to play at the club, but for the fellow South American, the same cannot be said as he underwhelmed – it was all energy with little product.

Indeed, the 28-year-old recorded the lowest SofaScore rating (6.7) of any of Spurs’ attacking players on the afternoon and that’s ultimately poor considering Albion had the worst defensive record in the top-flight by a considerable margin – their 54 goals conceded is 15 more than any other team.

Before Lamela was hooked in the 74th minute, he managed just one accurate cross from seven attempts (14%), which meant Kane had very little to feed off whilst the winger also failed to win the majority of his duels, losing five of 15 (33%), meaning the West Brom left-back had the better of him consistently.

He was even the second-most wasteful Spurs player on the pitch as he lost possession 17 times – once every four minutes.

If Spurs have serious ambitions of progressing tonight, then Mourinho ought to play Moura, Steven Bergwijn or Gareth Bale over Lamela.

As one of the final survivors from the Andre Villas-Boas era, it’s quite a surprise to see the former Roma star still standing in N17, especially as he’s among the high earners at the club on a reported £85k-per-week, which is more than Matt Doherty, Giovani Lo Celso and Bergwijn.

Teammate Eric Dier revealed earlier in this season that Lamela “is a nightmare” because “offensively he’s so good” and “when you have the ball, he kicks lumps out of you.”

But we’ve not seen that sort of claim come to fruition in a competitive encounter in a very long time.

A series of injuries and no goal in the Premier League since September 2019 tells the full story – he has missed more games (108) than goal contributions (81) since joining Spurs in 2013, and in failing to deliver against the weak and faltering West Brom, he should not be given another start this evening.

Ruthless it may be, but a wise decision.

AND in other news, Forget Vinicius: Spurs must get £36m-rated beast with an “instinct for goals”…

Thorough research in the transfer market since 2012-13 has seen BVB continually pick up talented youngsters before selling them on for a tidy profit

• 1Europe's money-making talent factory

  Gotze: €37m
  Ginter: €17m
  Kagawa: €18.8m
  Dembele: €105m
  Hummels: €35m
  Gundogan: €22.1m
  Aubameyang: €62m
  Mkhitaryan: €41.8m
  Sokratis: €15.9m
  Pulisic: €64.2m
  ———-
  TOTAL: €418.8m (£376.8m/$480.8m)

  Although several other players have moved on since the end of the 2012-13 season, it is striking that Dortmund have made approximately €418.8m (£378.5m / $483.1m) from the sale of just the 10 players listed above, underlining just why Signal Iduna Park is regarded as Europe's money-making talent factor.

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  2Christian Pulisic – €64m profit

  Now on loan at Dortmund until the end of the season as part of the deal that saw him agree to move to Chelsea this summer for €64.2m (£58m/$74m), Pulisic is the club's latest and arguably greatest transfer success story.

  The versatile American attacker was picked up by BVB at the tender age of 16, and quickly forced his way into the first teams of both his club and his country.

  In signing for Chelsea, Pulisic became Dortmund's second-biggest sale of all time, behind only Dembele.

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  3Sokratis Papastathopoulos – €10.5m profit

  Sokratis Papastathopoulos took a winding road to Dortmund, coming to prominence at Genoa and failing with AC Milan before a strong spell in the Bundesliga with Werder Bremen convinced BVB to part with €9.5m (£8.6m/$11m) for the Greek's services.

  It proved another inspired investment. The defender starred for five years at Signal Iduna Park, forming a formidable partnership with Hummels to cement his reputation as a top-class centre-half.

  When Arsenal moved for the Greece international in the summer of 2018, the Gunners paid BVB approximately €15.9m (£14.4m/$18.3m), meaning more money for BVB's coffers.

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  4Henrikh Mkhitaryan – €14.5m profit

  The Armenian playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan was signed to replace the Bayern Munich-bound Gotze, joining from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013 for a then-club record €27.5m (£24.9m/$31.7m).

  Three sterling seasons in the Bundesliga earned Mkhitaryan a €41.8m (£37.8m/$48.1m) move to Manchester United, and BVB another healthy profit on their initial investment.

With the Premier League in the middle of its busy Christmas calendar, we take a look at the best transfers of the 2018-19 campaign so far

• 10Kepa Arrizabalaga (Athletic Club – Chelsea)

  The second goalkeeper to break the world transfer record last summer and one who has helped Maurizio Sarri utterly transform the way Chelsea play. While Thibaut Courtois may be one of the world’s best shot-stoppers he simply cannot match the ability of Kepa Arrizabalaga in terms of what he does with the ball at his feet. It’s been reported that Sarri had his eyes on Kepa a long time before pitching up at Stamford Bridge and that foresight has paid off. He’s kept his fair share of shots out but it is his excellent distribution which stands out.

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  9James Maddison (Norwich City – Leicester City)

  Fans of many Premier League clubs had never even heard of James Maddison when Leicester City signed him from Norwich last summer. He had long been regarded as one of the Championship’s best attacking talents and has made the step up to the Premier League with astonishing ease. He looks right at home at this level, delivering goals and assists, as well as ranking highly in the chances created category. It won’t be long until he is a regular for England.

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  8Ben Foster (West Bromwich Albion – Watford)

  Many tipped Watford for relegation following the departure of their best player Richarlison over the summer. But they won their first four games of the season to confound the critics with Ben Foster starring between the posts. He was voted West Bromwich Albion’s best player during their relegation campaign and remains a difference maker at Premier League level for Javi Gracia’s team.

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  7Danny Ings (Liverpool – Southampton)

  A striker who needed a move away from Liverpool in order to get his career back on track. He is back down south with Southampton, where he started out as a youth, and is flying in front of goal. The Saints have struggled, recently hiring Ralph Hasenhuttl to replace Mark Hughes and things are looking up after inflicting defeat on Arsenal. Ings got two that day and has seven in all in the Premier League. If Southampton are going to move in the right direction then his form is going to be key.