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Manchester United will be hoping to make it back-to-back victories under the reign of interim manager Michael Carrick when they take on Chelsea in their Premier League clash this afternoon.

The Red Devils look set to appoint Ralf Rangnick as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s successor following successful talks with the German, and they’ll be eager to put on a good show at Stamford Bridge.

However, Carrick could be without a handful of important first team stars for the trip to west London.

Long-term absentees Paul Pogba and Raphael Varane could be joined by Edinson Cavani, Fred and Luke Shaw on the sidelines due to a variety of injury issues, forcing the ex-Red Devils midfielder to change up his starting XI today.

The likes of Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood will be pushing for recalls, though, and Carrick will need his team to be on top form to keep the current league leaders at bay.

With that in mind, here’s how Football FanCast expects the 40-year-old to line up against Thomas Tuchel’s Blues, with three changes from the side which started against Villarreal last time out…

David de Gea will keep his place between the sticks after making an impressive return to form this season, and he’ll be desperate to keep his second clean sheet in a row.

Ahead of the Spanish shot-stopper will be a back four made up of Alex Telles, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Aaron Wan-Bissaka due to the enforced absences of Shaw and Varane.

In midfield, Fred’s ankle issue may seen the experienced Nemanja Matic make a rare start against his former club alongside Scott McTominay as United look to contain an in-form Chelsea side.

Ahead of the defensive duo will be a front four including Rashford, Fernandes, Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo. The former two gave United a much greater impetus against Villarreal following their half-time introductions and both should start today.

Sancho scored his first goal for the club in midweek, and the former Borussia Dortmund star will be looking to cement his place in the starting XI as the £31.5m-rated Anthony Martial is dropped to the bench following a disappointing performance in Spain last Tuesday.

In other news… Huge blow: Man Utd suffer potential double injury setback, Carrick will be gutted

As per 90min, a concerning contract update has come to light regarding Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah. 

The lowdown: The wait goes on

Despite all parties seemingly being at the table for some time, speculation continues to rumble on as to whether or not the 29-year-old will sign a new deal to remain at the club, having arrived from AS Roma in 2017.

Now into the final 18 months of a deal on Merseyside, Salah has already been linked with a sensational move to Barcelona in recent weeks, and the off-field discourse has seemingly impacted his on-field output as the usually lethal winger has failed to score from open play since netting against Norwich City in mid-February.

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However, perhaps unsurprisingly given his extraordinary goal return over the last five years, the club remain desperate to tie down the Egyptian King to a fresh contract.

The latest: Salah and Liverpool ‘some way apart’

According to 90min’s sources, Salah and Liverpool have been in discussions for ‘more than a year’ without a tangible breakthrough.

The report claims that the Reds’ owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) are ‘willing’ to make the 82-cap Egypt star the highest-paid player at Anfield, but there is a ‘reluctance’ to pitch him amongst the best earners in the Premier League.

Furthermore, it is stated that the parties are still ‘some way apart’ in their negotiations as Salah attempts to earn a pay rise on a current £200,000-per-week salary (Spotrac).

The verdict: Just get it done

Of all the important decisions facing the club over the upcoming months and years, securing the services of the £90m-valued superstar is perhaps the most important alongside Jurgen Klopp’s own future beyond 2024.

Prior to recent struggles, the man hailed as ‘extraordinary’ by Ian Wright following a lightning-quick start to the 2021/22 campaign had been one of the leading lights in world football and remains pivotal to Liverpool’s trophy success this term and beyond.

Despite suffering a recent dip, so far this season Salah has scored 28 times and provided another 10 assists in 38 appearances – levels of output which make the potential completion of a new deal a salient moment in the Reds’ future at the very top table.

In other news, three Liverpool players in particular stood out against Benfica. Read more here.

Flocking to Twitter, some West Ham United fans have shared their takes as an exciting update emerges involving Hertha Berlin defender Niklas Stark.

Club mainstay Angelo Ogbonna’s anterior cruciate ligament injury has been at the centre of discussion since he sustained the problem in West Ham’s 3-2 win over Liverpool prior to the international break

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The Italian had previously started every 2021/22 Premier League game for David Moyes and was untouchable on the Hammers’ team sheet, but they had to cope without his presence for the first time this season against Wolves on Saturday.

West Ham slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Molineux and never really got going as Raul Jimenez consigned the Irons to their first loss since early October.

Ogbonna has now undergone successful surgery as he begins his recovery, yet all eyes are now on who could jump in his stead, with Moyes apparently set to be backed in the January transfer window (Evening Standard).

Links to Burnley defender James Tarkowksi and Stark have emerged recently, but Sport 1 reporter Florian Pettenberg has now dropped an exciting update on the latter.

The German source claims that talks have now ‘taken place’ for the 26-year-old, who is personally ‘interested’ in the idea of joining West Ham (Twitter).

Moyes is also a personal admirer of the centre-half and Hertha want to do a deal in January, especially considering that Stark’s contract is set to expire in 2022 as things stand.

West Ham fans react…

Reacting to this exciting development, some West Ham fans have dropped a diverse range of takes on social media, with one supporter even branding Stark an ‘upgrade’ on Ogbonna.

According to WhoScored, when comparing both players, the stats actually support this theory, with Hertha’s mainstay averaging a superior rate of tackles, interceptions and clearances per 90 over the 33-year-old Hammers centre-back.

However, another Irons supporter feels that Moyes’ current crop in Issa Diop and Craig Dawson are actually better options than Stark.

Check out some of the best verdicts on this news from Twitter here:

“Getting players running down contracts is smart. Why we haven’t done this in last 5 years has amazed me. January window is the best place to get bargain quality players”

Credit: @corsan_harry

“He’s good, I hope this is true”

Credit: @SaidTalks

“Yes please. He’s really good.”

Credit: @eezeeu

“better upgrade to Ogbonna, a good signing if it happens”

Credit: @Markwake141

“He’s alright, used to be a big talent but hasn’t quite performed to the levels expected. Reckon Dawson and Diop are better”

Credit: @WHUInfo

“Can play holding CM as well

Contract talks on hold.”

Credit: @PinceyKeeble1

In other news: ‘I understand’ – West Ham reporter makes promising transfer claim involving ‘extraordinary’ striker, find out more here.

Celtic have been handed a late injury boost ahead of their upcoming Premiership clash.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Record, who claim that, despite being brought off with a knock in the 2-1 win over Alloa Athletic last weekend, Liel Abada looks set to play a part in the Bhoys’ fixture against Hearts this evening.

The report goes on to reveal that the 20-year-old has been included in Ange Postecoglou’s provisional squad for the trip to Tynecastle, as well as stating: “Liel Abada should be available despite limping off against Alloa.”

Ange will be elated

Considering just how impressive Abada has been since his £3.4m move to Parkhead last summer, the news that winger will be available for selection in an otherwise depleted Celtic squad is sure to have left Postecoglou elated.

Indeed, over his 20 Premiership appearances this season, the £4.05m-rated forward has been in remarkable form for the Bhoys, having already scored six goals, registered three assists and created a whopping 11 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.7 shots and making 1.9 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the £15k-per-week Israel international average a SofaScore match rating of 7.11, ranking him as the Hoops’ joint 11th-best performer in the top flight of Scottish football – of the players who remain a part of Postecoglou’s first-team squad.

As such, the winger’s availability for what is certain to be a challenging test against third-placed Hearts will undoubtedly provide Celtic’s chances of leaving Edinburgh with all three points with a substantial boost – with a victory against Robbie Neilson’s men very much being necessary if the Bhoys are to stand a chance of keeping pace in the title race before the Old Firm clash on February 2.

In other news: Celtic suffer yet another big blow as transfer update emerges that’ll have fans gutted

Rangers youngster Josh McPake is set to return to Ibrox from his loan spell at Morecambe, ahead of a temporary January exit elsewhere.

The Lowdown: McPake on loan at Morecambe

The 20-year-old moved to Morecambe in the summer transfer window but he has been limited to just five League One appearances, with only three starts coming his way.

The hope was that McPake would pick up some much-needed playing time there but it looks increasingly as though he could be a peripheral figure.

A current report suggests it could be all change for the winger ahead of the upcoming January window.

The Latest: Another temporary move on the cards

According to Football Insider, a Rangers source has confirmed that the club are set to recall McPake from Morecambe, prior to loaning him out elsewhere next month.

Oldham Athletic and Hartlepool United are mentioned as possible suitors for the youngster, who was described as ‘fantastic’ by former Morton manager David Hopkin.

The Verdict: Invaluable experience

It is vital that McPake continues to get minutes away from Rangers, so this is a decision that makes perfect sense.

The hope is that the young wide man has a bright future at Ibrox but he may need to prove that he’s got what it takes during these current loan spells – another 6 months struggling to make an impact at the senior level could seriously damage his chances.

Competition for places is always likely to be strong under Giovanni van Bronckhorst, but an eye-catching second half to the season could make him part of the manager’s plans in 2022/23.

Four goals in 23 appearances in League Two is proof that McPake can shine at a good level – now it’s about making another step up.

In other news, three Rangers players struggled against Rangers. Find out who they are here.

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Newcastle United fell to another demoralising defeat on Saturday, as they were beaten 2-0 by Watford in the FA Cup fourth round.

The Magpies are 17th in the Premier League and now have no chance of lifting silverware this season, while they have also yet to invest in the January transfer market.

On the chalkboard

Benitez picked a rotated XI against the Hornets, naming Joselu as his lone striker.

The 28-year-old has scored three goals this season, the last of which came in the FA Cup third round victory over Blackburn Rovers. His other two came in August, in defeats against Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.

Perhaps he was picked on the back of his display against Rovers, but there is little about Joselu that marks him out as a first-choice centre-forward.

Check out the video below for Emma Conybeare’s rundown of which clubs need what in the January transfer window…

Salomon Rondon is first-choice at St James’ Park, and he has netted six times already this season. Indeed, he did not play in the FA Cup and now will not get the chance.

Benitez could well be politicking, choosing to play games as he attempts to convince Mike Ashley, the club’s tight-fisted owner, to finally dip into the transfer market this month.

The Magpies have roundly failed to add to their squad and The Telegraph has reported that the former Liverpool boss will leave if Ashley does not sign two players before the deadline.

Desperate times call for desperate measures

If Benitez really did play politics with the FA Cup, supporters are sure to be furious.

Joselu is not, and has never been, a first-choice striker in English football.

During his spell with Stoke City, he scored just four goals in 27 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

Never has a stronger message been sent to a boardroom; playing the player so ill-suited to a role that Benitez may well have sent ten men out to face Watford.

And, yet again, Newcastle will not be winning any silverware this season.

It is not Joselu’s fault, of course; he has been told to do a job and continues to try to do his best, but he finds himself at the centre of an apparent power play.

It remains to be seen if that will pay off and whether we will see any new faces arrive at St James’ Park in the next few days.

Manchester United have received a big selection boost ahead of their Premier League encounter with Arsenal at Old Trafford this evening after interim manager Michael Carrick revealed he has no fresh fitness concerns.

What’s the word?

Although long-term absentees Edinson Cavani, Paul Pogba and Raphael Varane are set to be joined by Luke Shaw on the sidelines once again as he continues his recovery from concussion, captain Harry Maguire will be available once again after serving a one-match suspension.

“Nothing really new,” Carrick said to MUTV (as relayed by the Manchester Evening News). “There are always niggles at this time of year, playing a lot of games. There are always players you’re waiting on a little bit, to an extent.

“Obviously, Harry is coming back into the squad after his suspension, but we’ll see who is fit and available for tomorrow.”

Shaw suffered a head injury prior to the most recent international break, and although he started against Watford, he suffered another knock, meaning he has missed the last two games for the Red Devils.

Michael Carrick will be delighted

News that there are no new injury worries to contend with, while Maguire is also able to feature once again will leave Carrick feeling absolutely delighted ahead of this potentially crucial clash.

Under the 40-year-old’s tutelage, United have progressed to the last-16 of the Champions League with a 2-0 victory over Villarreal and held league leaders Chelsea to a 1-1 draw, successfully steadying the ship following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s dismissal.

However, with the Gunners currently five points ahead of the 20-time English champions in the top-flight table, Carrick and co. will be desperate for a positive result against the capital club.

Missing out on a place in the top four would be a disaster for United, and therefore, Maguire’s availability coupled with no new injury concerns will be warmly welcomed by everyone at the Theatre of Dreams.

And, in other news…Rangnick must end MUFC’s striker search by signing “special” £45m “incredible talent” 

A frustrating Rangers transfer claim has been made, regarding their chances of adding a winger to their squad…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has suggested that the Gers may not be able to complete a deal to sign Crysencio Summerville this month.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “There’s Summerville at Leeds and, obviously, van Bronckhorst knows all about the young Dutchman from his time at Feyenoord.

“But I’m not too sure Marcelo Bielsa will be willing to loan him out right now.”

Worried

This frustrating claim will surely leave Rangers fans feeling worried about the club’s chances of signing Summerville on loan. There is little the Gers can do to change Leeds’ mind if they are unwilling to let him leave on a temporary basis, as there would be no significant financial motivation for the Premier League side to outweigh their need to keep him in their squad for the second half of the campaign.

Therefore, the 20-year-old winger may not be on his way to Ibrox before the end of the month. This will frustrate supporters as he could be an excellent signing for Gio van Bronckhorst’s squad if the situation changes and they are able to bring him in.

His teammate Jamie Shackleton previously lauded the young talent’s quality, saying: “There’s specific drills in training that we’ll do. We’ll do those repeatedly. It’s also coming up against better players in training. Coming up against top-class forwards and wingers that we have inside the club definitely helps.

“Cry Summerville is a nightmare to mark. He’s really sharp. For his size he’s very, very strong. I do my best to keep up with him and the other wingers. We’ve got some very sharp wingers at the club.”

He has nine goals and ten assists in 24 outings for the U23 side at Leeds and this suggests that he is a player who is capable of both scoring and creating goals. Although he is yet to prove that he can do it at senior level, these statistics show that he would be an exciting signing for the Gers as he would come in as an electric winger who wants to beat players and make things happen in the final third.

This is why fans will be frustrated and worried by this latest claim from O’Rourke that indicates a deal is unlikely this month.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Bassey: Rangers could pull off masterclass in £2m swoop for “calm” gem…

With only one new player signed during the current January transfer window in the shape of Hayao Kawabe, it seems as though Wolves are not looking and letting that deal be their only piece of transfer business this month.

What’s the news?

Speaking on a live Sky Sports programme, presenter Rob Wotton revealed that Wolves are interested in signing AS Monaco centre-back Benoit Badiashile this month.

“Wolves and Newcastle both interested in the Monaco centre-back, Benoit Badiashile. The 20-year-old Monaco academy graduate is among a number of options in this position both clubs are looking at,” he said.

As a product of Monaco’s youth system, the 20-year-old has already made a total of 105 senior appearances for the club, chipping in with three goals and three assists in the process, showing how highly rated he must be there given his fairly young age.

Fans buzzing

In the four Europa League games that he’s played in for Monaco this season, Badiashile’s performances in those games have earned him an impressive overall rating of 7.36/10 according to WhoScored, comfortably making him the highest-rated player in the competition for Monaco, showing how capable he is of playing in a top European competition.

With his young age and vast experience, it’s easy to see why Wolves would be interested in signing a player such as Badiashile as he could potentially be a long-term player for them for many years to come.

Given how two of Wolves’ current centre-backs Romain Saiss (31) and Willy Boly (30) are two of the club’s five oldest players in their squad, it’s easy to see why the Old Gold would be looking at bringing in a young defender like Badiashile to freshen up their team at the back, an idea which would surely leave plenty of supporters buzzing.

Taking into account how Wolves manager Bruno Lage has come out and said that signing a centre-back is the club’s priority at the moment with Saiss away on international duty and Boly out injured, Badiashile could be just what the team needs at this moment in time.

That said, with recent reports from France claiming that Wolves have already had a bid for the Monaco defender rejected, it could prove to be quite difficult or expensive to secure Badiashile’s signature this month.

If a deal for the young defender isn’t viable for the Old Gold, they should turn their attention to some other potential candidates that could do a job for them at centre-back that may not cost so much.

However, the very idea that they’re targeting someone of the youngster’s quality should be music to the ears of fans at Molineux.

In other news: Journalist drops behind-the-scenes January update that’ll have Wolves fans sweating – opinion 

Everton’s work in the transfer market in recent years has been questionable, to say the least, arguably preventing them from fulfilling their true potential under the ownership of Farhad Moshiri.

While the likes of Leicester City and Wolves have pushed the traditional ‘Big Six’ and won domestic trophies on a similar budget, the Toffees have had to settle for multiple mid-table finishes over the last few campaigns.

The likes of Davy Klaassen, Alex Iwobi and Theo Walcott have all been brought to Goodison Park for big money and failed to live up to expectations, but arguably none were as big a disappointment as Sandro Ramirez.

In the summer of 2017, Everton forked out £5.25m to bring the former Barcelona academy graduate to English shores after an impressive campaign for Malaga.

During 2016/17, Ramirez bagged 16 goals and provided a further five assists in 31 appearances for the then La Liga outfit, catching the eye of Ronald Koeman and the club’s hierarchy, who handed him a four-year contract.

“I’m very happy, this is a big step in my career,” Sandro told Evertontv at his unveiling (as relayed by Sky Sports). “I know I’m signing for a massive club in England.

“Everton is the ideal place for me, I’ve got the ideal manager who is going to keep giving me the confidence to improve my game.

“I cannot wait to wear the blue shirt in front of the Everton fans at Goodison Park. It’s a big jump in my career coming to the Premier League and for a club like Everton which is really on the up.”

However, things didn’t go to plan for the ex-Spain U21 international during his time on Merseyside.

After starting just three Premier League games and scoring one goal in a 5-1 defeat at the hands of Atalanta in the Europa League, Ramirez returned to his homeland in January via a short-term loan to Sevilla.

Spells at Real Sociedad and Real Valladolid followed on from his six-month stint with the Rojiblancos, but the diminutive forward only managed a return of four goals from 70 outings for the Spanish trio.

His shocking performances led to Everton releasing Ramirez on a free transfer in October 2020, despite the now 26-year-old still having a year left on his contract, before he signed for second-tier SD Huesca.

It’s been a remarkable decline for the once highly-rated flop, and Everton will be glad their transfer nightmare is now over.

And, in other news…Brands plots EFC move for “very talented” £22.5m-rated wizard, fans will be buzzing