West Ham United's stunning ascent towards sustained European exploits – leading to victory in the UEFA Europa Conference League last season – is a testament to the Scotsman's managerial expertise.

With astute and accurate transfer dealings laying the foundations for such success, the Hammers have been able to enjoy the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta dazzle defences on the European scene.

In a truly wonderful period for everyone associated with the club, heightened by winning their first trophy in 43 years, the highs of prising sublime talent to the club are dampened by the lows of missing out on further superstars.

In recent years, West Ham's woes in the striker department are well documented and those difficulties could have been put to bed if David Moyes managed to prise Benfica's Darwin Nunez to the club.

Did West Ham almost sign Darwin Nunez?

In January 2022, West Ham threw the proverbial kitchen sink at Benfica in an attempt to sign Darwin Nunez.

The Hammers had multiple offers knocked back on deadline day, the last of which was a club record £60m bid, offering a fee of £50m upfront and £10m in add-ons, as per the Standard.

Moyes was desperate to improve his attacking arsenal and knew that Nunez – who finished the 2021/22 campaign with a staggering 34 goals in 41 appearances – would have fixed their goal-scoring problems and perhaps fired them into the top four.

While they were backed financially in their quest to gatecrash the Champions League, the Portuguese giants ultimately broke Hammers hearts by rejecting their proposals for the Uruguayan, who reportedly preferred a move to one of Europe's elite.

In the summer of last year, Nunez realised his dreams as Liverpool snapped him up for a club record £85m and West Ham were left shopping for another world-class forward.

Who did West Ham sign instead of Darwin Nunez?

Instead of improving their squad in January, West Ham splashed the cash in the summer of 2022 as they spent a whopping £35.5m on Gianluca Scamacca to bolster their European chances.

The Italian gem arrived with Serie A pedigree under his belt, a league that has produced some of the world's best strikers, and the Hammers thought Scamacca would be the latest.

He chalked up an exceptional 16 goals in 36 appearances for Sassuolo in the season prior, ranking in the top 10% for non-penalty goals against his positional peers in the division, top 8% for aerials won and top 2% for successful take-on percentage, as per FBref, so it looked like he fit the profile of a typical Moyes striker.

The 23-year-old could cleverly peel off into the channels, was a physically imposing presence in the air and was destined to become a focal point for his new side.

Possessing all of the requisite ingredients to become a roaring success in the Premier League, Scamacca was expected to significantly improve West Ham's fortunes in front of goal, but that couldn't be further from the truth.

Scamacca produced a disappointing three goals in 16 top-flight appearances and although inspired performances in the Conference League saw him deliver three goals in seven, Moyes had seen enough from him in his debut campaign and offloaded him for £27.6m to Atalanta this summer before his value fell even further.

How has Darwin Nunez performed at Liverpool?

The fact that West Ham were close to signing Nunez and instead had to settle for Scamacca is a bitter pill to swallow as far as the Hammers are concerned.

Whilst the £90k per-week dud cost the club a whopping £6.6m per goal, the Uruguayan is beginning to deliver on the "unstoppable" tag that Jurgen Klopp attached to him, although Nunez did admit that his start to life at Anfield was "difficult".

Despite showing flashes of the brilliance that earned him a club record move, the 24-year-old was often described as "wasteful" in front of goal by several media outlets, including GOAL, and ranked third for big chances missed (20), behind only Marcus Rashford (22) and Erling Haaland (28) last season.

Although missing a lot of big chances can be seen as a negative, being in the right position to receive the opportunity in the first place is a positive, and there aren't many better on the planet than Nunez at fashioning a chance for himself, whether that is through his sheer pace and movement or instinct in the box.

The "unbelievable talent" – as dubbed by Alan Shearer – backs up this claim with his sensational attacking metrics, highlighting how dangerous he is in the final third.

He ranks in the top 2% for non-penalty goals in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues in the past year, top 3% for progressive carries, top 4% for touches in the attacking penalty area, top 7% for assists and top 17% for non-penalty goals per 90, via FBref.

The above statistics paint a picture of a striker who is on the verge of blowing teams away with his goals and at the start of this campaign, he's threatening to do just that.

How many goals has Darwin Nunez scored for Liverpool?

The 6 foot 2 marksman, who is now valued at €100m (£86m) according to Football Observatory, has chalked up a respectable 19 goals and seven assists in 52 appearances for the Reds.

However, Nunez is showing early signs this season of improved efficiency in the final third – aside from sitting fourth for big chances missed in the league with six – the 19-cap international has scored four and assisted three in ten appearances in all competitions, including a brace off the bench against Newcastle in the Premier League.

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With 0.87 goals per 90 in the top flight this term, teammate Alexis Mac Allister has lavished praise on the striker and expects him to reach the ceiling of his potential.

He said: "I think he's getting better and better. I think we will see the best of him this year."

It's scary to think that the best is still yet to come from Nunez and provides the reason why West Ham were so desperate to sign him in January 2022.

Manchester United secured a last-gasp victory over the weekend just gone, the largely flat Red Devils dragged over the line to victory versus Brentford courtesy of a Scott McTominay double at the death.

Many of the stalwarts who have been in and around the Man United team for years are often scapegoated as the under-performers – Marcus Rashford and Harry Maguire are notable targets – but some of the newer faces at the Red Devils are also now on the receiving end of flak.

Lisandro Martinez hasn't been without his critics since joining from Ajax alongside head coach Erik ten Hag. Gabriel Agbonlahor criticised the defender on talkSPORT after the Red Devils were humbled by Brighton at home in a recent 3-1 loss.

He said: "Martinez for the Gross goal, he has tried to make a block, he’s got fake-shot by Gross and scored in the back of the net.

"If that was Harry Maguire, you would not hear the end of it, ‘he’s terrible get him out the side’.

Harry Maguire must be looking around that changing room now thinking, ‘how am I not getting a chance in this team?’"

Likewise, young attacker Rasmus Højlund has arrived on the scene with huge expectations on his soldiers – joining Erik ten Hag's group with a £64m transfer fee above his head.

He has been goal-shy in the Premier League which has led to some questioning the move, but his three goals in the Champions League so far away from English football shows what the 20-year-old can be capable of.

The main issue lies in goal for Manchester United, with the signing of Andre Onana causing issues in the net after David De Gea's exit from Old Trafford.

How has Andre Onana performed this season?

Onana has struggled for form since joining Manchester United this summer, the 27-year-old finding his start to life in Manchester hard at the moment.

He's already conceded 19 goals in a Red Devils goalkeeper strip, playing 11 games in total so far for his new employers.

It's not been helped by Onana making costly errors in matches to lead to goals finding their way in, bizarre goalkeeping in Manchester United's home clash with Nottingham Forest saw Taiwo Awoniyi score after two minutes.

The Red Devils did go on to win the match 3-2, but it was an unnecessary mountain that had to be climbed.

Seven of the goals he's conceded have come in the Champions League, Bayern Munich putting Manchester United to the sword 4-3 in Germany whilst Turkish giants Galatasaray dramatically won 3-2 on their trip to Old Trafford.

To sum up the stopper's oes, such dismal form has seen him labelled as a "comedic liability" by journalist Muhammed Butt.

Leaking goals at the rate Ten Hag's team are could mean the Dutchman freshens up who he selects in goal, with backup keeper Altay Bayındır waiting in the wings.

Will Altay Bayındır be given a chance?

Another of Manchester United's summer buys, Bayındır has yet to be given an opportunity with zero appearances to his name in any competition so far.

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The 25-year-old impressed with Fenerbahce in his native Turkey, leading to a call-up to the national team and the United transfer happening.

The extended International break could well work in the Turkish goalkeeper's favour, with Ten Hag given more time to deliberate over what his strongest Manchester United XI is.

Former Tottenham player Garth Crooks, whilst writing for the BBC, criticised Onana's start to the season – a poor start that could signal Ten Hag to switch it up in net.

He said: "It's hard enough trying to win matches when your goalkeeper is in good form, but when he's making errors almost on a weekly basis, it makes life very difficult for all concerned."

With 6 foot 6 Bayindir waiting in the wings, then, perhaps his chance to dislodge Onana could well be forthcoming.

Chelsea will still be feeling the frustration from their 2-2 draw against title-chasers Arsenal. The Blues got off to a blistering start to take the lead through Cole Palmer's penalty, before Mykhailo Mudryk doubled their lead. Things quickly went downhill, however, after Robert Sanchez's mistake gifted Arsenal a route back into the game and Leandro Trossard then struck a dagger into Mauricio Pochettino's side with a late equaliser.

The spotlight following the result will be on Sanchez after his mistake, and the transfer rumours are already suggesting that Pochettino is interested in strengthening the shot-stopping department in the January window.

Chelsea transfer news

It was once again a summer full of arrivals at Stamford Bridge, with the likes of Moises Caicedo, Palmer, and Nicolas Jackson all coming through the door with mixed results ever since. Todd Boehly will know that the best is yet to come from the young players that he opted to invest in over the summer, but he will at least hope to see Pochettino guide the Blues back into a form of European competition this season, perhaps even the Champions League.

The transfers look set to continue in January, too, which could include a surprise move. The latest Aaron Ramsdale transfer news suggests that the out-of-favour Arsenal goalkeeper has attracted interest from his London rivals. According to Ben Jacobs, Chelsea could target the England international in January in the hope of putting an end to their goalkeeping troubles once and for all.

With the Euros coming up next summer, Ramsdale will be well aware of just how important game time is this season, and that could see him jump at the chance of a move to another top club if he fails to win his Arsenal place back in the coming months.

Why isn't Aaron Ramsdale playing for Arsenal?

The last time that Ramsdale featured for Arsenal in the Premier League came in a 3-1 victory over Manchester United back at the start of September. It was then that Mikel Arteta decided to make a change, with the introduction of summer signing David Raya, who has looked nervous at times. Arteta could still persist with the former Brentford man, however, given that Ramsdale's stats compared to Raya's have the current number one coming out on top, as per Squawka.

Player

Passes per match

Pass accuracy

Long passes per match

Aaron Ramsdale

24

77.08%

8.3

David Raya

39.6

77.78%

15.2

Ramsdale proved that he is more than capable of stepping up for Arsenal in the past, though, and with the goalkeeper out-of-favour, Chelsea could swoop in. The former Bournemouth man has even earned the praise of Premier League legend David Seaman, who said, via The Daily Mail: "People forget he’s only 24. So that is amazing for me because I didn’t join Arsenal until I was 26 – what he’s doing now at 24 is just phenomenal.

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"He's making big saves all the time. There was one on Saturday at 1-0 that was world class. It wasn't like a flying save or anything like that but it was a really technical piece of goalkeeping, which he did brilliantly, and he's been doing that all season. In my career I was totally the opposite, I was laid back and I wasn't a shouter all the time, so there's different ways and I think Aaron – he's got a good mix and it's his own mix as well."

Tottenham struck gold with their recruitment into the building this summer, softening the blow of Harry Kane’s departure to Bayern Munich expertly by signing exciting new talents to fit into new Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou’s overhaul.

Micky van de Ven, Pedro Porro and James Maddison have been early standout performers under the Australian head coach, key components to Spurs’ unbeaten run so far in the Premier League.

Maddison, in particular, has been instrumental, notching up eight goal contributions from ten matches after joining Tottenham from Leicester City for £40m.

The north London hot shots could be in the market for more players this January despite their electric start to this campaign, with Feyenoord attacker Santiago Gimenez linked with Postecoglou’s high-flyers according to reports.

Spurs will have to be cautious in their pursuit of the Eredivisie forward, however, eager to not let history repeat itself.

Vincent Janssen left AZ Alkmaar behind for Tottenham in similar circumstances back in 2016, spectacularly flopping throughout his doomed stay in the English capital subsequently.

Tottenham’s interest in Gimenez

Fabrizio Romano has reported reported, via TEAMtalk that Spurs are interested in the 22-year-old striker as a potential option to strengthen the attack, Richarlison falling down the pecking order even further at the club if this move is pulled off.

The notorious reporter stated: "Something in the region of £39m could be the right fee to make it happen. From what I’m told, Tottenham [Hotspur] scouts have been following the player already last year. They saw that Gimenez is a very good striker… Decisions will be made in the next months.”

Gimenez justifies this price-tag with a sensational 13 goals from just 11 Dutch first-division appearances to date.

Still, Spurs will know too well that potency in front of goal in the Netherlands doesn’t always mean that a similar clinical edge will be apparent when relocating to the Premier League.

Janssen’s nightmare at Spurs

Janssen, who joined Spurs at the same age Gimenez is now, endured a torrid time at White Hart Lane after setting the Eredivisie alight with his goal output.

The misfiring Dutch striker would only manage six goals for Tottenham from 42 appearances, a weak goal return after netting a far superior 32 goals from 49 games whilst at AZ.

The 6-foot forward, who is now 29, has rebuilt his career since this nightmare spell in north London with Janssen the leading man in attack for Royal Antwerp currently.

Gimenez will just pray that he doesn’t fall victim to the pressure of a high-profile move in a similar fashion, hoping to excel in his new surroundings instead of being disregarded as a dud.

Gimenez’s numbers this season

Feyenoord’s lethal talismanic striker continues to be a terrifying prospect for Eredivisie defenders to contain, occupying second spot in the top scorer chart for the league.

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The standout display of Gimenez’s season so far came against Ajax, netting three goals against the Dutch titans to give Feyenoord a comprehensive 4-0 win in De Klassieker.

Only registering four shots in the 90 minutes per Sofascore, the Mexico International showcased his prolific nature for his club side to net a devastating hat-trick.

Over the last year for the Rotterdam-based giants, Gimenez has averaged a staggering 8.32 touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 minutes according to FBRef – the sign of a striker always waiting for an opportunity to strike from close range, always lurking to finish off a chance.

Tottenham will attempt everything in their power to persuade the 22-year-old to join the North London outfit, hopeful that lightning won’t strike twice when pursuing exports from the Eredivisie and that Gimenez will finally plug the gap Kane left behind up top.

Respected transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano says the prospect of a "very important" Arsenal player leaving in January is a "possibility".

Arteta's transfer plans

Manager Mikel Arteta looks set to be in with another shout of getting his hands on the Premier League title this season, coming after he narrowly missed out to treble-winning Man City last term.

Arsenal have won eight out of a possible 12 league matches so far, losing just once in that time, with the Gunners bouncing back from that defeat against Newcastle last weekend after a 3-1 triumph over Burnley. However, if they're to maintain their challenge alongside the likes of City and Liverpool, there are some glaring issues which need to be addressed.

Arsenal are reportedly keen on signing a striker, as both Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah stand out as their only natural options right now. Brentford star Ivan Toney is on Arteta's transfer wishlist as a result, according to widespread reports, while some rumours suggest the Spaniard also wants an alternative to Bukayo Saka.

A lack of depth in central midfield could be a problem too, as highlighted by Thomas Partey's injury problems lately. Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz is being eyed by Arsenal to solve this problem, while it is believed Partey could also depart Arsenal in the winter.

The Ghanaian has apparently told Arsenal he wants to leave in January, with murmurs also surrounding goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale and his future at the club.

Romano suggests Ramsdale could leave

Ramsdale lost his spot to David Raya after the summer signing arrived on loan from Brentford, despite being Arsenal first choice for a long time before then. This has led to rumours he could depart if his game time doesn't improve, with reliable reporter Romano now providing an update on the former Bournemouth star's situation.

Speaking to the DeBrief podcast, as transcribed by CaughtOffside, it's believed there is a "possibility" Ramsdale leaves Arsenal – but it's also not "guaranteed".

“I think it’s a possibility because he’s not playing but it’s not guaranteed as well," Romano explained.

“It’s not easy … goalkeepers usually move when there’s a domino effect and at the moment we’re not seeing that effect, and in the January transfer window clubs are not usually changing their goalkeeper.

“Ramsdale wants to play more but from what I’m heard he’s also prepared to fight for his place. I can also guarantee that he’s not a target for Chelsea and they’re not going to sign a goalkeeper in January.”

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The 25-year-old, despite his lack of involvement lately, is still one of Arsenal's "very important" players according to Arteta. Indeed, the boss insists that he sees every member of his squad that way.

"For sure, he's been exceptional around the place – and especially with the situation," said Arteta on Ramsdale after a 1-0 EFL Cup win over Brentford recently.

"We love him, for sure. We know his character and what he brings to the team and we are happy to have him. Every player is very important. Today he had the opportunity to play and he had a really good game."

Manchester United are putting the wheels in motion for their upcoming transfer activity and are still keen to land a high-profile star on a free transfer, according to reports.

Man Utd return from international duty…

The Red Devils will return from the international break this weekend against Everton as they look to continue their positive form in the Premier League, which has helped to catapult the Premier League giants up to sixth in the division.

Winning four of their last five league matches, Erik ten Hag has managed to restore some credibility at Old Trafford; however, United are still some way off the terrifying force that they used to be, both domestically and in European competition.

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Fighting fire among his squad, Ten Hag has had to deal with an extensive injury list over the course of 2023/24 and not much has changed on that front as his side now prepares to take on Sean Dyche's Everton. As cited by The Manchester Evening News, the Red Devils will be without Christian Eriksen, Casemiro, Jonny Evans, Tyrell Malacia and Amad Diallo for the trip to Merseyside.

England international Luke Shaw has made his comeback to first-team training at Carrington and could be involved this weekend. At the same time, Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund are expected to feature despite concerns. Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been suffering from illness and Andre Onana was taken off on international duty with Cameroon, so it will remain to be seen whether they can return in time.

Man Utd's last five Premier League results

Manchester United 1-0 Luton Town

Fulham 0-1 Manchester United

Manchester United 0-3 Manchester City

Sheffield United 1-2 Manchester United

Manchester United 2-1 Brentford

Now, fresh information has come to light concerning the club's transfer plans, with a potential soon-to-be free agent on the agenda in the North West.

Man Utd still keen on Adrien Rabiot

According to Calciomercato via Sport Witness, Manchester United are still keen on Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot, who could be available on a free transfer in the summer of 2024 when his contract at the Allianz Stadium expires.

The report states that the France international came close to moving to Old Trafford last summer; however, concerns over his wages put an end to any speculation that he would be swapping Turin for Manchester, and he could soon be available to discuss pre-contract terms once more.

Labelled "a very elegant player" by his former international teammate Hugo Lloris, Rabiot has featured regularly for Juventus this campaign, registering a goal and assist apiece in 11 appearances across all competitions (Rabiot statistics – Transfermarkt).

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Carrying the creative torch for Juventus from the heart of Massimiliano Allegri's engine room, the 28-year-old has also successfully carried out 30 shot-creating actions in Serie A, with three directly leading to goals (Rabiot statistics – FBRef).

Possessing elite-level experience and a composed temperament, Rabiot could prove to be an economically advantageous option for Ten Hag to bolster his options in midfield; so who knows, 2024 could finally be the year they get their man.

Crystal Palace let a 1-0 lead slip at the hands of Luton Town on Saturday afternoon and gave the hosts only their second win of the season.

An issue that has plagued Palace for several years – putting the ball in the back of the net – reared its ugly head at Kenilworth Road once again.

Whilst Michael Olise capped his return to the side with a goal, the Eagles failed to build on their lead, despite registering eight shots on target compared to their opponent's three.

In the Premier League this term, only Burnley, Fulham, Sheffield United and Luton have scored less than Palace's total of 13, which is a glowing indication of where Roy Hodgson needs to target in the January transfer window.

Although Odsonne Edouard has plundered five in 12 matches, only one of those has come in his last seven appearances, so signing a striker should be on the high list of priorities, and links to Ajax striker Chuba Akpom suggest it is.

Crystal Palace transfer news – Chuba Akpom

According to TEAMtalk, Palace and Fulham are among several clubs who have enquired about the availability of the Englishman ahead of January.

Akpom, who scored 28 goals in the Championship for Middlesbrough last season to win the Player of the Year award, has started just one game since his arrival in the Dutch capital.

Whilst opportunities have been at a premium for the prolific striker, he has still claimed five goals across his four consecutive appearances in November.

The report states that Akpom is open to a Premier League move and Ajax are ready to sanction a loan deal for the player.

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If that is the case, Palace should be racing to the front of the queue to capture the 28-year-old, who would provide an upgrade on their current forward options, including Edouard.

The statistics that show Akpom is an upgrade on Edouard

Edouard has somewhat only discovered his goalscoring touch at Selhurst Park this term.

The Frenchman arrived from Celtic in the summer of 2021 and was expected to become their latest talismanic forward.

Despite joining the club on the back of an impressive 87 goals in 179 appearances for the Scottish giants, Edouard would find the challenge of stepping up to the Premier League difficult and his goal record speaks volumes of his struggles.

To put it into perspective, the 25-year-old is currently only one goal from matching his best tally of seven, achieved last season, and we're only four months into this campaign.

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On the other hand, Akpom's scoring has gone in the other direction, from achieving a career-high of 11 goals in a single season to plundering 29 last term, the Englishman is threatening to deliver on the potential that his formative years promised.

This upturn in form is also reflected across several of his attacking metrics, eclipsing Edouard across the board, aside from his threat in the air.

Chuba Akpom vs Odsonne Edouard per 90 statistics in the past year

Statistic

Chuba Akpom

Odsonne Edouard

Non-penalty goals

0.83

0.31

Non-penalty xG

0.54

0.28

Shots total

2.74

2.41

Pass completion

81.2%

68.2%

Progressive carries

2.63

1.58

Aerials won

1.69

1.84

All stats via FBref

Dubbed by former striker Clinton Morrison as a "real threat", Akpom has certainly delivered on that praise, wreaking havoc against opposition defences with the volume of shots he's taking, his ability to drive forward at speed and provide a clinical edge in the final third, unlike Edouard.

If Palace were able to acquire the £27k per-week marksman on loan in January, who is valued at €11.9m (£10m), as per Football Transfers, he would be a low-risk move with potentially high rewards as the Eagles look to add more firepower to their armoury.

Newcastle United have been handed a boost in their efforts to sign an "ice cold" attacking star, according to an update from journalist Ben Jacobs.

Newcastle need attacking depth

The Magpies will have the chance to make new signings next month, with the January transfer window arriving and allowing Eddie Howe the opportunity to bolster his squad options. It has been a season to remember for Newcastle so far, although not always for positive reasons, and injuries have decimated them at times, making it hard to hit top gear in both the Premier League and the Champions League.

In attack, both Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson have been injury-plagued, and it has been difficult for both to enjoy extended runs in the team this season, playing a part in their hit-and-miss form.

For that reason, Howe could look to bring in another option to provide competition for them soon, with Romelu Lukaku linked with a move to Newcastle, and VfB Stuttgart ace Serhou Guirassy also potentially heading to St James' Park.

Newcastle handed Serhou Guirassy boost

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs provided an update on Newcastle's interest in Guirassy, saying he is keen on the idea of moving to the Premier League, acting as a clear boost for the Magpies.

"With Guirassy, it's slightly different [to Ekitike] because he's on fire. He’s scored 16 goals in all competitions this season. So, there's real quality there, but he’s not a player that Stuttgart want to lose mid-season. So, that has its complications.

"From the player's perspective, if he does move to the Premier League, and I’m told there is an openness broadly to do so, he won't want to go from playing every week into double figures, scoring freely, having a breakthrough season, to suddenly being on the bench, which would lend itself probably more towards a summer move as well."

Guirassy is enjoying an incredible season to date, scoring a remarkable 15 goals in his first ten Bundesliga appearances in 2023/24, which has proven to be a record-breaking effort from the Newcastle transfer target.

The 27-year-old could be such an exciting signing by the Magpies, and while a summer move looks much more likely to happen than a January transfer, he could be worth waiting for, rather than taking a punt on somebody else next month.

Serhou Guirassy's Bundesliga stats this season

Total

Appearances

10

Goals

15

Assists

1

Guirassy's scoring record has been hailed as "pure psycho" by Stuttgart teammate Deniz Undav, who added that he is "ice cold in front of goal and just enjoys himself", and it may be that Newcastle continue to track his form over the next few months, making sure that he retains this consistency and isn't simply going through a purple patch.

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The Guinean does look like the real deal, however, only being outscored by Harry Kane in the Bundesliga this season, and his shot conversion rate of 48% is only just behind the England superstar's tally of 49%, further outlining why he could be a fantastic signing for Howe.

Arsenal will be looking to record their fifth Premier League win in a row as they face Aston Villa in what promises to be an exciting clash of excellent teams this evening.

A last-minute winner against Luton Town in midweek spared any blushes, but this is a team that keeps finding a way to win and Mikel Arteta will be striving for another three points against Villa.

With the festive season in full swing, games are coming thick and fast and this might suggest the Spaniard could rotate his starting XI as the Gunners travel to the Midlands.

Despite the win against the Hatters, not every player was at their best…

Jakub Kiwior’s game in numbers vs Luton Town

The Polish defender was shoehorned into an unfamiliar left-back slot during the 4-3 win, and while he tried to get to grips with the position, he was severely limited.

During the clash, Kiwior managed to make just 16 successful passes while taking just 39 touches. He contributed with two tackles, three clearances and won three of his four ground duels to prove that his defensive skills were there for all to see, yet he failed to produce anything of note going forward.

The youngster didn’t even attempt a dribble while he delivered just one successful cross, and it was clear that Arteta was missing Oleksandr Zinchenko, while the natural centre-back received a rating of just 6/10 from 90min for his display.

The Ukrainian did come on for Kiwior with just 25 minutes left and he won 100% of his total duels while making one key pass and having a 90% pass success rate.

That cameo sets Zinchenko up nicely to be unleashed against Villa this evening, and he will be a better option on the left side of the defence for Arteta.

Oleksandr Zinchenko’s season in numbers

The £150k-per-week gem has given Arteta another attacking option from the full-back position as the former Manchester City defender has registered two goal contributions, created two big chances and averaged 1.1 key passes per game during the Premier League this term.

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He subsequently ranks fourth in the squad for big chances created and for key passes per game, demonstrating further evidence of his importance to Arteta and there is no doubt he should be the first choice at left back this evening.

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Podcaster Adam Keys lavished praise upon Zinchenko before the start of the 2022/23 campaign, saying the defender was “extremely technically gifted” and judging by his performances since joining the north Londoners last summer, that statement is spot on.

A win against Unai Emery’s side could see the Gunners extend their lead at the top of the table, although Villa will be a difficult side to break down as they are well-drilled under the former Arsenal boss.

If Arteta can secure all three points against the Villa Park outfit, it will surely give him plenty of confidence heading into the hectic festive period and unleashing Zinchenko at left back instead of Kiwior could well be crucial.

Nottingham Forest could be set to sell one of their fringe players next month, with a fresh report revealing that the club have received an offer ahead of January.

Nuno Espirito Santo joins Forest

On Tuesday, Evangelos Marinakis announced that Steve Cooper had been relieved of his duties and it was later confirmed the following day that Nuno Espirito Santo was going to be taking over after signing a two-and-a-half-year contract in the Premier League.

The Reds manager will no doubt be getting straight down to work in terms of identifying his own targets for the upcoming transfer window, but in order for him to make room for fresh faces, he will first have to move some of his existing players onto new pastures.

Back in January, Gustavo Scarpa first joined the club from Palmeiras, but the attacking midfielder failed to nail down a regular place in the starting line-up, making just two starts and four substitute appearances in the top-flight last term (WhoScored – Scarpa statistics).

The Brazilian therefore put pen to paper on a season-long loan at Olympiacos over the summer, and with reports claiming during his time there that his parent club are open to selling him on a permanent basis, the 29-year-old’s situation has alerted an admirer.

Atletico Mineiro bid for Scarpa

According to O Tempo (via Sport Witness), Nottingham Forest have received an offer for Scarpa ahead of January. Atletico Mineiro are the club to have tabled the proposal, and it’s stated that they are now awaiting a response to see if they have been successful in their pursuit. The Serie A side have put forward €4m (£3m), and it’s believed by sources at their end that there is “optimism” that an agreement can be reached.

Having sent Scarpa out on loan, Cooper clearly didn’t want him in the building this season, and while it remains to be seen whether Nuno would rather give him a chance to prove what he’s capable of, Nottingham Forest would be making the right decision to sanction his sale.

The Campinas native ranked as the club’s overall 27th best-performing player out of 33 squad members last season, showing that even though he was handed a small opportunity to play, he still failed to make any kind of positive impact that would have seen him nail down a place in the team (WhoScored – Nottingham Forest statistics).

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Standing at 5 foot 10, the central starlet has failed to record a single goal or assist during both his time at his parent club and with Olympiacos, contributing little to the action in the final third (Transfermarkt – Scarpa statistics).

Furthermore, Scarpa pockets £61k-per-week on loan as it stands (Olympiacos salaries), which would make him the fourth-highest earner on the books if he was to return (Nottingham Forest salaries), so the club need to remove him from the wage bill as soon as possible.