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Newcastle United edged their way into the last 16 of the Carabao Cup following a nervy climax against Crystal Palace at St James’ Park on Wednesday evening, with Eddie Howe’s side forced to rely on the lottery of a penalty shootout following what was a rather drab encounter on the night.

After a rather uneventful 90 minutes of action, the Magpies were then thankful for the goalkeeping heroics of Nick Pope to secure progression into the next round, with the decision to start the club’s undisputed number-one having more than paid off for the hosts.

The towering Englishman produced three spot-kick saves to help seal the win and also to help bail his teammates out of trouble, with the typically reliable substitute pairing of Bruno Guimaraes and Sven Botman both squandering their penalty attempts.

As it is, the Tynesiders are now another step closer towards ending their lengthy trophy drought, with that shootout triumph epitomising the club’s resurgence during Howe’s year in charge, with the northeast side having notably lost on penalties to Burnley in the second round just over 12 months ago.

For all the obvious relief regarding the end result, there may well be potential concern that the hosts were not able to produce a better performance in normal time, with the numerous changes having seemingly not paid off on the night.

One man who somewhat underwhelmed was academy graduate Elliot Anderson, with the 20-year-old having failed to truly make his mark on what was a “big opportunity” to impress, in the words of journalist Mark Carruthers.

While an undoubtedly talented asset who will seemingly have a big part to play for the club in the years to come – having previously earned comparisons to Newcastle legend Peter Beardsley – it simply wasn’t the Scotland youth international’s night as he struggled in his attacking berth.

On what was just the youngster’s second start for the club at senior level – having featured against Tranmere Rovers in the previous round – Anderson notably lost possession 15 times in his 78-minute outing, while his tally of 15 passes was fewer than the aforementioned Pope (21).

Equally, in a defensive sense, the exciting ace also won just one of his eight ground duels – albeit while winning four of his five aerial duels – while his match rating of 6.3, as per SofaScore, was the joint-second worst of any of his teammates on the day.

Newcastle World’s Jordan Cronin stated that it may well have simply been a case of the starlet ‘trying too hard at times’, having failed to showcase the talent that was evident during his loan spell at Bristol Rovers last term, where the 5 foot 10 ace provided 13 goal involvements in 21 League Two outings.

Such a frustrating performance may well be something of a setback for Anderson, although the hope will be that the Whitley Bay-born sensation can only learn from that outing and improve moving forward.

Everton could be ‘in the conversation’ to sign Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Daichi Kamada next summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Three-horse race

The Japan international’s contract with the Bundesliga giants is set to expire at the end of the season, but with Oliver Glasner’s side struggling to persuade him to put pen to paper on fresh terms, the chances of him departing on a free transfer are becoming increasingly likely.

Alongside the Toffees, Leeds have also been credited with an interest in the 26-year-old, but with competition from Champions League participants Benfica, it may be difficult for either Premier League club to convince him to move to England.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones played down such claims and insisted that Everton are more than capable of being contenders in the race for Kamada’s signature, although further attention could be created should he have a successful World Cup campaign with Japan.

The journalist said: “I definitely think that Everton have the capability to be in the conversation for a player like that.

“I think that the question will be is that there are obviously other clubs that have him on their radar, and with the World Cup coming up, there may be even more in a few weeks’ time.”

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The Verdict: Get it done…

Kamada has been dubbed an ‘incredible talent’ by Josh Bunting, and he would certainly be an upgrade on Everton’s current midfield options, making this a no-brainer of a deal to complete.

The 6 foot maestro already has 12 goals and four assists to his name in just 22 appearances across all competitions this season and is highly versatile, as he can also operate on the left wing (Transfermarkt).

His WhoScored rating of 7.08 for the season so far is superior to every outfield player at Everton, while the Toffees as a whole have scored just one more goal in 17 matches across all competitions in 2022/23 than Kamada has managed on his own.

Frank Lampard is desperately in need of attacking reinforcements with his team just one point above the relegation zone, and Kamada seems to have the potential to answer his prayers.

Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin is ‘confident’ that Liverpool will not recall Leighton Clarkson in the January transfer window, despite the youngster impressing on loan.

The Lowdown: Impressing in Scotland

The 21-year-old is certainly making his mark in Scottish football, having scored four goals and supplied a further two assists in 14 games across all competitions so far this season (third in the Scottish Premiership table, behind only Celtic and Rangers.

Having scored in his first appearance for the club, Goodwin hailed Clarkson’s debut as ‘one of the best’ that he has ever seen, and in midweek the loanee scored a stunning goal playing against Atlanta United in a friendly.

His level of performances at Pittodrie have been consistently brilliant, which could tempt Jurgen Klopp to recall him back into the Liverpool first-team squad earlier than expected.

The Latest: No Liverpool recall?

However, as quoted by The Press and Journal, Goodwin has revealed that Aberdeen director of football Steven Gunn has been ‘in contact’ with the Reds over Clarkson, adding that they are ‘confident’ that the 21-year-old will not be recalled early in January despite his impressive form.

Goodwin said: “Steven Gunn has been in contact with Liverpool about Leighton Clarkson and with Celtic about Liam Scales.

“At the moment we are confident that both will be part of our plans when the January window closes. However, we do have contingency plans in place just in case something were to happen.”

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The Verdict: Option is there for Liverpool

Liverpool do not have to recall Clarkson as he is developing well at Aberdeen, but they should know that the option is there.

The defensive midfielder has only made youthful line-up that he picked against Derby County in the Carabao Cup earlier this month.

Hailed as ‘one of the biggest talents’ at Anfield by Klopp himself, Clarkson is clearly admired by the German, while he has also been dubbed an ‘amazing’ footballer by his former Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray when he was on loan at Ewood Park previously.

Clarkson has now impressed three different managers at three different clubs, and he is clearly one for the future.

If Liverpool were to suffer an injury crisis in central midfield, with Arthur and Naby Keita already on the treatment table, then the 21-year-old could well get a chance should the Reds decide to recall him.

Everton are once again struggling in the Premier League after suffering a tumultuous relegation scrap last season and Frank Lampard will surely be thankful for the World Cup break to give him time to re-evaluate the performances and form his team have found themselves in.

The Toffees are now just one point away from falling into the relegation zone teetering on the edge of the bottom three in 17th after losing four of their last five games in the top flight, the inconsistency that Everton have been far too familiar with over the last 18 months.

Lampard has been dealt a poor hand when it comes to a squad who is fit and available as Everton had the worst injury record in the entire Premier League last season, which has yet again become a problem in the current campaign.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has missed the vast majority of his football over the last year with constant knocks and repeats of injury issues following his serious long-term quadriceps injury in August 2021.

The absence of the much-loved Everton striker alongside the exit of Richarlison in the summer has taken its toll on the Toffees with only Wolverhampton Wanderers having scored fewer goals this season so far.

As a result, there is no doubt that Lampard will have no choice but to take a look at the transfer market when it reopens in January and signing a prolific, natural finisher should be an absolute priority.

One player who has been linked with a move to the blue side of Merseyside is Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres and owner Farhad Moshiri could seal a similar transfer masterclass as he did with Calvert-Lewin by plucking the player from a lower league for a starring role at Goodison Park.

The 24-year-old talent – who Coventry manager Mark Robins claimed is “hungry for goals” – has scored 30 goals and registered five assists over 85 appearances for the second-tier side with a goal contribution every 173 minutes so far, but it is this season in particular where Gyokeres has flourished.

Over 19 Championship appearances, the Swedish striker has scored nine goals and delivered three assists, as well as averaging 1.2 key passes, 2.8 shots on goal and 5.6 duels won per game, proving that he is a consistent goal threat that could be extremely valuable to Everton.

Calvert-Lewin captured the attention of the Toffees when he was playing in League One with Sheffield United and has gone on to become a star striker at Everton who has also represented England on the international stage, and now Gyokeres could follow in the forward’s footsteps.

With that being said, the signing of Gyokeres could be a great piece of business for Everton and if the striker did make the move to Goodison Park whilst continuing to flourish in front of goal, it could be a season-changing signing for the club.

Queens Park Rangers are thought to be eyeing Manchester City coach Brian Barry-Murphy as a possible replacement for Michael Beale.

The Lowdown: Barry-Murphy profiled

The 44-year-old is currently lead coach of the Elite Development squad at the Etihad Stadium. The Irishman was previously in charge of Rochdale for a two-year period, where he managed 109 games in total.

A UEFA A Licence coach, Barry-Murphy likes to play an attacking 4-3-3 formation, and it seems as if he is on QPR’s radar.

The Latest: QPR linked with Barry-Murphy

The Daily Mail’s Adrian Kajumba revealed on Wednesday that the Hoops are considering a move for Barry-Murphy.

The journalist said that Barry-Murphy’s ‘background in youth football and as an up-and-coming coach is of a similar mould to Beale’, something which seems to appeal to Loftus Road chiefs.

The Verdict: One to watch?

The R’s enjoyed brief success with Beale at the helm prior to his departure for Glasgow Rangers, with the west London club currently battling for promotion to the Premier League.

Therefore, it is crucial that club officials get this appointment spot-on and a move finalised relatively quickly in order to continue that promotion push.

Barry-Murphy is just one of several names QPR appear to be considering, so it will be interesting to see who emerges at the top of their wish list over the coming days.

Nottingham Forest may be looking at the January transfer market to strengthen their team but it could also be an opportunity for the club to let go of some of their deadwood.

What’s the latest?

According to French news outlet Le Telegramme, En Avant Guingamp are interested in signing Nottingham Forest’s Loic Mbe Soh.

As per the report, the Ligue 2 side could be set to welcome the centre-back on loan for the second half of the season when the January transfer window opens in the New Year.

Time to go

The interest in Mbe Soh is a perfect opportunity for Steve Cooper to finally ditch the forgotten Forest man as he is clearly not in the manager’s plans at The City Ground.

The 21-year-old joined the Tricky Trees from Paris Saint-Germain back in September 2020 but has only made 11 appearances since joining, averaging just 68 minutes per appearance and scoring one goal.

Although Mbe Soh hasn’t featured in any top flight fixtures so far, he did make appearances in the Championship last season showing glimpses of his talent and capabilities in his few opportunities for Forest.

Over two performances, the £5.5k-per-week Frenchman averaged 33 touches, one tackle, one clearance and won 2.5 duels per game, showing promising signs that he could become a great defensive player, however, the opportunities have become few and far between for Mbe Soh.

Indeed, the Forest ace is still young and has the chance to develop but with the side in desperate need of retaining their Premier League status there will be minimal opportunity for the centre-back to break into the team with more experienced defenders like Joe Worrall and Steve Cook occupying spots in the backline.

Cooper is in desperate need of picking up crucial points over the remainder of their campaign so will lean on his most experienced and trusted players to deliver the expectations that the club will set over the second half of the season.

With that being said, even just a loan deal for Mbe Soh to go and gain some first team experience could be extremely beneficial for both Forest and the player.

Liverpool have been credited with an interest in Yunus Musah and now a new update has emerged on the club’s pursuit of the player ahead of the transfer market reopening next month.

What’s the latest?

According to 90min, Liverpool have now made contact with the Valencia and USMNT midfielder’s representatives to register their interest in the player ahead of the January transfer window.

As per the report, the Reds are joined in their efforts by fellow Premier League club Chelsea who have also made contact with those managing Musah’s future after the player had an impressive World Cup campaign with his national team.

It is also claimed that Valencia have now opened contract talks with the American in an attempt to fend off the mounting interest emerging from the Premier League.

Naby Keita replacement

It is no secret that Liverpool are in desperate need of reinforcements in the centre of the pitch which has been heavily reflected in their performances over the Premier League season so far.

The Merseyside giants are currently sixth in the league table after a run of inconsistent form and disappointing displays that have left them unable to challenge at the highest level to compete for the title with Manchester City and Arsenal, with the latter currently 15 points ahead of Liverpool at the top of the tree.

Liverpool have a number of midfielders that are coming into their last six months of their contracts at the club with James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain currently set to leave Anfield at the end of the season.

As a result, the Reds could have a brilliant opportunity in their pursuit for Musah’s signature and could sign the perfect replacement to fill the boots of Keita should he leave the club either in January or at the end of his contract in the summer.

The £86m-valued youngster has been capturing the attention of the world during his international campaign in Qatar at the World Cup with the USMNT, and his output has been so impressive, giving interested clubs a glimpse of his talents and capabilities.

Over four World Cup appearances, Musah – who was hailed the “real deal” by CBS Sport writer Ives Galarcep – won possession back 23 times, won eight tackles and prevailed in a whopping 18 duels, proving his combative force.

Furthermore, he has thrived offensively, making 13 passes into the final third, 12 passes into the opponent’s box, attempted ten take-ons, took four shots on goal and created three big chances.

Unfortunately, Musah’s hard work wasn’t enough to secure the USA their spot in the quarter-finals as they were knocked out by the Netherlands in the round of 16 earlier this week. However, the powers at Anfield should have seen enough to know that the 20-year-old midfielder is a star worth capturing.

With that being said, the signing of Musah would be a great piece of business for Liverpool in their midfield rebuild over the coming months ahead, but FSG will need to make a lucrative and tempting offer to secure his services over their competitors also interested in signing the player.

Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing a move for Barcelona forward Memphis Depay and some news is expected just ‘next week’, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs interest…

Spurs have been linked with a move for the ex-Premier League star for quite some time with reports suggesting they have even held talks with his representatives recently.

The Netherlands international, who represented his country at this year’s 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is also attracting interest from former club Man United and Jose Mourinho at Roma.

Lilywhites head coach Antonio Conte and sporting director Fabio Paratici may be attracted by Depay’s contract situatuion at the Camp Nou, with his deal set to expire in 2023 as things stand.

The Latest: Depay news expected ‘next week’…

In recent days, Spanish outlet Sport have shared an update on links to Tottenham and Depay’s future.

The newspaper, via Sport Witness, claims Paratici is still very much eyeing a move for the £159,000-per-week star and some news is expected ‘next week’.

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Indeed, Depay will apparently ‘announce his decision’ over a transfer when he returns to Barca training in that time.

The Verdict: Right man?

As Conte chases Champions League qualification for the second-successive campaign, reinforcements in the attacking positions are very much needed – as highlighted by Richarlison’s latest injury.

Called ‘brilliant’ by pundit Kevin Campbell, Depay could be the man to add back up and for a potentially cheap fee in January given his contract expiry date.

While he hasn’t featured often under Xavi this season, the Dutchman was in fact a key player over 2021/2022, standing out as their top goal scorer and fourth-best performer by average match rating (WhoScored).

The 28-year-old is in his prime and still possesses quality in abundance, making this a possibly shrewd move by Spurs if they can strike a deal.

West Bromwich Albion have made a number of notorious errors this season, with Steve Bruce admittedly headlining most of them.

It was a torrid season for the 61-year-old which culminated in his sacking and did little to repair his reputation after he was replaced at Newcastle United by Eddie Howe.

Whilst many will lambast him for the eight-game run without a win, other smaller decisions he made set the club back too.

For example, having suffered injuries and a loss of form with Kyle Bartley and Semi Ajayi, instead of having a highly-rated youngster ready to fill in, he instead had to utilise Erik Pieters out of position instead of Caleb Taylor.

The 19-year-old had been sent out to Cheltenham Town on loan, where he has already become a mainstay, featuring 22 times so far.

There will be hope amongst the Baggies hierarchy that this teenage sensation will be the heir to Ajayi, who they could boldly ditch upon his return to the Hawthorns.

His displays in League One stand as glittering proof that this could be the case, as he glides through matches with poise and purpose beyond his years.

The academy graduate is boasting a 7.24 average Sofascore rating this campaign, where his defensive contribution is second-to-none.

Taylor is recording 1.3 interceptions, 2.0 tackles and a monumental 6.7 clearances per game, as per Sofascore.

He then pairs his with a respectable 71% pass accuracy that would be more than good enough for the Championship.

Having contributed to their eight clean sheets in just 19 matches in the league, the young defender has already announced himself as more than capable of succeeding in senior football.

Jon Palmer, who reports on the Robins was more than willing to add to his plaudits, as he claimed: “He just looks like he’s cruising through games. He’s so good in the air and he never looks rushed.”

He continued: “He sees everything a split second before anybody else so you never see him panicking or out of position or sprinting to recover. He always seems in control.

“He’s got a good temperament… I think Caleb’s got that little touch of quality about him. The composure you need in the modern game, to play in the middle of a back three.”

Clearly, he is a class above those at his loan club despite his youth, and with injuries plaguing Ajayi this season, Taylor could be set to stake his claim next season in place of the 29-year-old.

BBC pundit Mark Schwarzer was full of praise for John McGinn for his role in Aston Villa’s second goal away at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

The Lowdown: Big three points

Villa clinched a big three points at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a 2-0 win that put them just one point behind Crystal Palace in 11th place.

Emi Buendia and Douglas Luiz grabbed the goals in an incredible second half display, as former Arsenal manager Unai Emery got one over Spurs boss Antonio Conte.

The Latest: McGinn ‘absolutely sublime’

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Schwarzer claimed that McGinn was ‘absolutely sublime’ as he grabbed the assist for Luiz’s goal, in what was a ‘brilliant’ move from Villa’s perspective:

“That’s an absolutely brilliant goal from Aston Villa. Great ball from McGinn, that was absolutely sublime. Forward passes into feet.

“Douglas Luiz does really well. He is under pressure from the defender and then he just flicks it with the outside of the boot into the back of the net. Really good goal.”

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The Verdict: Led by example

Captain McGinn led by example on the day, showing the quality that he has by floating the ball through to Luiz for his team-mate to score and kill the game off.

Aside from his assist, the Scotland international won two of his duels, made one clearance, two key passes and achieved a 77% pass accuracy (SofaScore).

McGinn did come off injured, which will no doubt worry the Villans, and Emery will hope that his injury is not too serious, as he has shown how important of a player that he is to the team.

Nonetheless, it was a superb individual performance from the central midfielder.