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Sky Sports journalist Mark McAdam has claimed that Southampton will be standing by their manager Nathan Jones, amid a poor start to his tenure at St Mary’s.

The Lowdown: Suffering Saints

Jones was appointed as Saints boss following the sacking of Ralph Hasenhuttl in November, but since his arrival, he’s won just once from seven league games.

Southampton currently sit bottom of the Premier League table under the former Luton Town boss, four points away from safety.

It’s not just been difficult on the pitch, as Jones has come under criticism for recent comments he made in a press conference about his managerial ability following the success he had in his previous role.

The Latest: Saints backing Jones

Speaking on Sky Sports News, McAdam claimed that the Saints are going to stick by Jones despite his poor form.

He stated: “It’s going to be an interesting next few days and weeks – some media have been reporting that the club have had a board meeting in the last 24 hours to discuss the future of Nathan Jones. As things stand, they’re standing by their man.”

The Verdict: Wrong appointment

We believe that Southampton got it totally wrong when deciding to appoint Jones as the successor to Hasenhuttl.

It’s clear that the Austrian was well-loved by the Saints fans, but regardless of the matter, he’s not endeared himself with his previous comments that we mentioned earlier.

He’s said in recent times that he’s blocking out criticism, but he will constantly bring it up and call out others. In our view, we suspect that perhaps he might not be so confident in himself about the job he’s doing,

With fans making their opposition to the manager clear, the current mood at the club seems pretty bleak, and our feeling is that the majority of Southampton supporters would want to see Jones sacked sooner rather than later based on scenes on matchday.

In many ways, it was quite baffling that he was given the nod to take the reins of the south coast outfit given he had essential in a relegation fight.

Serie A giants Inter Milan have made a move for Liverpool legend Roberto Firmino, according to a new transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Firmino’s future unclear

The Brazilian is an undisputed modern great at Anfield, having registered 185 goal contributions (107 goals and 78 assists) in 349 appearances, as well as winning seven trophies.

Firmino has often been the understated glue that has held Liverpool together, linking the midfield and attack to perfection, while seven Premier League goals have come his way this season despite missing some time recently through injury.

The 31-year-old is out of contract at the end of the current campaign, and it remains to be seen if he will extend his stay at the club or not.

The Latest: Inter keen on signing Brazilian

According to Gazzetta dello Sport [via Sport Witness], ‘contacts have started’ between Inter and Firmino regarding a potential summer move to Italy.

The attacker has ‘all the requisites’ to join the Nerazzurri, although the report does state that it is ‘not an easy negotiation’ due to the wages on demand.

The Verdict: Keep hold of him

Firmino isn’t quite the footballer he was a few years ago, having gone from being one of the first names on the team sheet to more of a squad player, but he still possesses lots of quality and is useful to have around with the ability to operate in multiple forward positions.

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For that reason, Liverpool should do all they can to keep the 55-cap Brazil international on a short-term contract, allowing Jurgen Klopp to retain strong depth in attack.

The manager himself has described Firmino as a ‘world-class’ player, and while some may think getting his £180,000-a-week off the wage bill is a good thing, the positives outweigh the negatives in terms of keeping him.

He is now back fit again and has a great chance to prove his worth – he is Liverpool’s joint-second top scorer in the league this season – and some strong performances between and May should further convince the club to keep him on.

Newcastle United are back in Premier League action at home to Liverpool this evening, with Eddie Howe’s side hoping to maintain their remarkable 17-game unbeaten run in the top flight.

The Magpies’ last defeat in the division had in fact come against today’s opponents at Anfield back in August, with the Tynesiders having been cruelly denied a point on the night as teenager Fabio Carvalho fired home a winner in the eighth minute of injury to complete a second-half comeback from the Reds.

Despite the end result, that encounter had proven a particularly impressive introduction to life in English football for club-record signing Alexander Isak, with the £63m man likely to be hoping to replicate that impact by terrifying Jurgen Klopp’s team again this time around.

Will Isak play against Liverpool?

The reverse fixture on Merseyside saw the towering Swede make an instant impression in the black and white jersey after superbly firing his team ahead from a tight angle, with the former Real Sociedad ace showing remarkable composure to lash his shot into the roof of the net following Sean Longstaff’s clever sliding pass.

The 23-year-old then appeared to have doubled his tally after the interval with another stunning and clinical effort, only to see that curling strike cruelly ruled out for offside, with the 6 foot 4 titan having initially shown brilliant skill to make space for himself inside the area.

Despite only having 18 touches on that goalscoring debut, Isak had undoubtedly sparked excitement among the Newcastle support due to his finishing prowess, while also catching the eye with his physical attributes after winning four of his six duels.

That wonderful performance received notable praise from talkSPORT pundit Jason Cundy, who was already looking to the future after suggesting that the striker could go on to be worth in the region of £100m.

However, since that ‘major impact’ in which he had ‘Liverpool riled’ – as Chronicle Live’s Lee Ryder wrote at the time – the former Borussia Dortmund starlet has been unable to truly replicate such quality, with injury woes ensuring that he has been restricted to just six league appearances, scoring three goals.

The hope will be that the £120k-per-week marksman will have benefitted from his 90-minute outing against Bournemouth last week, with the “complete” asset – as lauded by his former Willem II coach Adrie Koster – no doubt raring to go once more against Klopp and co tonight.

With goals having been in short supply of late for Howe’s team as a whole, having scored only three times in their last six league games, a change in fortunes will be needed at St James’ Park this evening.

On the evidence of his last outing against Liverpool, Isak could be the man to make the difference for Newcastle in attack.

Crystal Palace could be a potential destination for Olivier Giroud in the summer, according to The Sun.

The Lowdown: Giroud’s contract ticking down

The Frenchman is currently on the books with AC Milan and has made 68 appearances for the Serie A giants. The 36-year-old has contributed to 35 goals for the club and showed that he still has the quality at the highest level by scoring four goals at last year’s World Cup.

He could become a free agent at the end of the season with his contract set to expire at the San Siro, and Selhurst Park could be a possible destination for the veteran.

The Latest: Palace named as possible destination for Giroud

The Sun’s Alan Nixon shared a story on Saturday evening regarding Giroud, claiming that the 36-year-old is open to a return to England at a London club, having already represented Arsenal and Chelsea.

Nixon named Palace, Fulham, West Ham and Brentford as possible suitors for the World Cup winner, provided that they can fund his wages.

The Verdict: One to watch?

Palace have been short of goals in the Premier League this season, with Patrick Vieira’s side netting just 21 times in 24 games. They drew a blank against Liverpool on Saturday night, with even 19th-placed Bournemouth scoring more than the Eagles in the current top-flight campaign.

Therefore, a short-term move for Giroud could be a smart piece of business by Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman, with the Frenchman netting 11 goals so far this season.

Hailed as an ‘incredible’ striker by his team-mate Davide Calabria, Giroud will turn 37 at the end of September, so perhaps a one-year deal could be of interest to all involved, making this one to watch.

Manchester United are currently gearing up for what could be a pivotal few days in their season, with the Carabao Cup final showdown with Newcastle United now looming large.

Prior to Sunday’s Wembley encounter, however, the Red Devils are set to take on Barcelona in their Europa League, play-off, second-leg clash at Old Trafford this evening, with Erik ten Hag’s men having produced an impressive display in Catalonia last week to claim an encouraging 2-2 draw with the La Liga leaders.

Ahead of the finely-poised reverse fixture later today, United will be able to welcome back Lisandro Martinez and Marcel Sabitzer after the pair missed the trip to Camp Nou through suspension, while both Harry Maguire and Antony are also in line to return from their recent injury absence.

What could Man United’s XI look like against Barcelona?

With that in mind, Football FanCast predicts that Ten Hag will make five changes from the side that beat Leicester City at the weekend, with the most notable alteration set to see Casemiro return at the base of the midfield.

4-3-3: (GK) De Gea; (RB) Wan-Bissaka, (CB) Varane, (CB) Martinez, (LB) Shaw; (CM) Casemiro, (CM) McTominay, (CAM) Sancho; (RW) Fernandes, (ST) Weghorst, (LW) Rashford.

Ahead of long-serving stopper David De Gea there could well be some tweaks made to the backline, with defensive “Rolls-Royce” Raphael Varane – as described by Statman Dave – set to return after sitting out the win over the Foxes, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka could take the place of Diogo Dalot, with the latter man having somewhat underwhelmed on Sunday – losing possession on 12 occasions.

As for the midfield, the aforementioned Casemiro could be joined by Scott McTominay following the Scotland international’s recent return from injury, with Fred – who has been branded “erratic” by journalist Tom McDermott – having again frustrated last time out.

The final midfield berth may be taken up by Jadon Sancho once again as the Englishman netted off the bench against Brendan Rodgers’ side, with that tactical shake-up likely to see Bruno Fernandes remain on the right wing.

That alteration should also see Wout Weghorst restored to his usual striking berth – amid Anthony Martial’s continued injury woes – while Marcus Rashford will be hoping to bolster his already career-best tally of 24 goals off the left.

Leeds United are now in contact with Hakan Calhanoglu’s agent ahead of a possible move to Elland Road, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Transfer speculation

The Whites recently finalised their short-term manager search by bringing in Javi Gracia on a flexible contract, and it looks as if Andrea Radrizzani, the 49ers Enterprises and Victor Orta are already eyeing possible summer signings.

Reports in recent days have suggested that the club have registered their interest in Inter Milan’s Turkish midfielder, and a further update has emerged.

The Latest: Agent update

Football Insider shared an update in the last 48 hours after the speculation emerged regarding Leeds and Calhanoglu.

They claimed that the Whites are now in dialogue with the 29-year-old’s representatives after registering their interest, with the Inter midfielder potentially up for sale in the summer.

The Verdict: Fingers crossed

The Turkey international, who has been hailed as an ‘exceptional’ player by AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli, has made himself known as a free-kick specialist throughout his career.

He has been starring during the current campaign, with his average of 2.1 key passes per game (as per WhoScored) more than any Leeds player. Calhanoglu has actually outperformed the entire Whites squad when it comes to WhoScored match rating (7.07) and appears to be at the peak of his powers at the age of 29.

Therefore, he could be a shrewd prospective addition to help the club’s attacking youngsters with his creativity, and it would be fair to argue that young trio Wilfried Gnonto, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter could all benefit from possibly having the experienced Turk in Yorkshire, so hopefully a move can materialise.

Arsenal remain five points clear at the top of the Premier League table following their vital comeback victory over AFC Bournemouth at the weekend.

With the scores tied at 2-2 heading into the 97th minute of the match, it seemed destined that the Gunners would drop more points in the title race and give Manchester City more confidence that they could retain their crown.

Step forward, Reiss Nelson. The 23-year-old was introduced in the 69th minute for Emile Smith Rowe and he scored the winner with just seconds left to spark wild scenes at the Emirates, with the win a sign of champions-elect, that’s for sure.

Fabrizio Romano lavished praise on the young winger, saying he had a “fantastic impact” on the game and he looks as though he is fighting fit.

With a Europa League clash against Sporting CP coming up on Thursday, it could give Mikel Arteta the chance to rotate his squad – especially with a meeting with Fulham to come just three days later – and he should unleash Nelson from the start.

Will Reiss Nelson start for Arsenal against Sporting CP?

Nelson certainly took his chance against Bournemouth well, recording a Sofascore rating of 8.6/10 for his 21-minute cameo. He managed not only to score the winner but also grabbed an assist, had two shots on target and succeeded with his only dribble attempt, proving that he was an effective attacking threat.

The 23-year-old also managed to complete 100% of his attempted passes while taking 23 touches and losing possession just three times as the winger looked like a man possessed against the Cherries.

Having missed 16 matches this term due to injury, opportunities have been few and far between, yet when he has been called upon, his performances have been solid.

The Englishman scored a brace and grabbed an assist against Nottingham Forest back in October and manager Steve Cooper lauded him after the match, saying: “[Reiss Nelson] and I always had a strong relationship. He was a standout player for England U17s. It’s good to see him doing well, I just wish it wasn’t today.”

The next couple of months – depending on how far Arsenal go in Europe – could feature two games a week and this will likely mean the starting XI will be rotated heavily between matches.

Indeed, his chances have already been boosted by Leandro Trossard’s groin injury.

The Belgian has been playing as a false 9 in recent weeks having scored his first goal in the draw with Brentford before supplying assists in the wins over both Leicester and Everton.

Although the January signing from Brighton is only set to miss around two weeks of action, now is well and truly Nelson’s time to shine with attacking options a little sparse with injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah to consider too.

With Nelson now ready to make an impression, unleashing him against Sporting could be the ideal chance for him to build upon his weekend’s performance while giving the 5 foot 9 gem a chance to try and displace Bukayo Saka from the side.

West Ham's summer of 2022 is quickly looking like one to forget from a transfer perspective.

The likes of Maxwel Cornet, Gianluca Scamacca and Thilo Kehrer have failed to live up to expectations at the London Stadium, due to various problems with injuries, fitness and poor form.

However, David Moyes' worst signing looks to have been Flynn Downes, as the midfielder has barely featured since his move from Swansea City.

Should West Ham ditch Flynn Downes?

The Hammers confirmed the signing of Downes in July 2022, with the 24-year-old joining for £12m having been a regular for Russell Martin's side in the Championship the season prior.

Downes had only joined the Swans in the summer of 2021, having progressed through Ipswich Town's academy, where he would make 99 appearances in total, contributing three goals and four assists.

It was something of a gamble by the Hammers to invest so heavily in a player that arguably wasn't pulling up any trees in the second tier, as he managed just one goal and two assists in 37 league appearances last season, averaging a disappointing 6.59 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

It is perhaps no surprise that he has struggled with the transition to the Premier League, making just four starts so far this campaign, with Moyes understandably preferring a midfield trio of Lucas Paqueta, Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek.

It says a lot that even with the Hammers languishing just above the relegation spots, Moyes has barely turned to Downes in this tumultuous campaign, with 393 minutes of Premier League action under his belt.

The Scottish manager made it clear that he was disappointed with the Englishman's impact earlier in the season, saying:

“The things I’ve seen of him, he needs to do better and we’re already [working at that] but we’ll get him a game when we can. All the players have to earn it and I have to find a way of winning most of the games.

“If it takes me putting the better players out to win, well I want to win. I’m not putting the boys out just to lose and say ‘I’m giving them a game.’ I want to win the games.”

If Downes were a young prospect who looked to have a bright future, then perhaps the attitude towards him would be different, but the reality is that he is a 24-year-old with plenty of experience in the lower leagues, and he wasn't cheap at £12m.

The £25k-per-week midfielder has to show a lot more at the London Stadium, otherwise, Moyes will surely soon be forced to get rid before his West Ham career has really even begun.

Tottenham Hotspur fans could not believe their eyes as they threw away a two-goal lead to draw against Southampton to dent their top-four hopes in a performance where a number of players were below-par.

A number of Spurs stars have come in for criticism this season including Emerson Royal, but one defender in particular stood out today after a horror-show display where he was culpable for two of Southampton’s goals.

Barcelona loanee Clement Lenglet has been disappointing since his arrival in the summer, but this performance had fans questioning why the club had even bothered to sign the France international.

Playing on the left side of the back three, Lenglet was caught out of position as Che Adams equalised at the start of the second half, and was nowhere to be seen as Theo Walcott pulled another goal back for the hosts.

Lenglet ranks in the bottom 7% of centre-backs in Europe’s top competitions over the past year for clearances, as well as in the bottom 40% for interceptions and blocks, as per FBref. Whilst he ranks highly for his ability on the ball, his defensive frailties have proven to be costly yet again.

Antonio Conte even shouted at the centre-back during the second half – something fans were quick to notice as even the Italian is losing patience with the defender he signed in the summer.

Spurs fans have seemingly had enough of the 27-year-old, and it appears there is very little desire to see his loan move made permanent. The best of the reactions can be seen below…

Tottenham Hotspur had to share the spoils in their Premier League clash with Southampton this afternoon at St Mary's after conceding two late second-half goals and there is no doubt Antonio Conte will be absolutely furious with his team.

The Lilywhites will find themselves looking over their shoulders in the top-flight table with Newcastle United hot on their tails, just two points behind in fifth with two games in hand which could have a huge effect on the North Londoners' pursuit to retain their Champions League qualifying spot over the remaining ten games.

Despite having equal possession (50%) with their hosts, Spurs had fewer shots on target (3 v 7), fewer big chances (3 v 2) and fewer accurate passes (385 v 376) which was a testament to the game that unfolded on the south coast this afternoon.

In the first half, the game got off to a slow start for both sides with the visitors suffering two injury concerns as both Richarlison and Ben Davies hobbled off the pitch within the first 45 minutes, however, a goal from Pedro Porro gave Tottenham the lead in the final moments before the half-time whistle was blown.

In the second half, Saints came to life early when Che Adams scored an equaliser in the 46th minute, but the home side's efforts were quickly nullified when the inevitable Harry Kane scored just 19 minutes later with Ivan Perisic following up with a third.

Another goal from Theo Walcott gave Saints hope that they could get back into the game, before a penalty – gifted by Pape Matar Sarr in the first minute of extra time – was comfortably converted by James Ward-Prowse to end the game 3-3.

Indeed, Spurs supporters will be absolutely livid with the late midfield substitution's carelessness, however, Eric Dier was the true villain throughout the clash and was ultimately a complete liability.

How did Eric Dier get on vs Southampton?

Conte has put a lot of faith into the Spurs defender this season and given Dier more opportunities than most to prove himself in the team, only for the England international to repay him with constant lacklustre and mistake-ridden performances.

This afternoon's clash with Southampton should've been another wake-up call for Conte and the Spurs hierarchy in terms of the improvements needed in the team and in the defensive set-up specifically.

Over his 90-minute performance, the £85k-per-week flop lost 60% of his duels, completed no tackles, failed to block any shots on goal and was dribbled past twice, with his 6.2 match rating, as per Sofascore, the lowest of any starting player for the visitors.

Spurs have now conceded more goals than any of their fellow Premier League teams inside the top half (40) which is further proof that the current defence is not working, with Dier making 25 starts over 28 league games in the centre-back position.

With that being said, Conte has his hands tied when it comes to unleashing another experienced defender instead of Dier, however, if the Spurs boss wants to finish the season inside the top four they will desperately need to find a resolution to their habit of leaking goals.