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Sunderland’s Championship season began in frustrating fashion as they lost 2-1 to newly promoted Ipswich Town at the Stadium of Light.

It was a damaging lack of potency and end-product that robbed the Black Cats of any points. In the match, they managed 66% possession and 20 shots, but just four of those were on target.

Sunderland began the affair with recently-signed Luis Semedo up top, but to place an over-reliance on a 19-year-old who has never played English football before is a questionable strategy and they must look to dip back into the market.

This was recognised by manager Tony Mowbray, who said:

“Hopefully there will be some more attacking options in the building in the next week or two, they'll have to settle into the environment and get used to everybody.”

Therefore, another attacking option that Sunderland could possibly turn to is Tom Cannon.

What’s the latest on Tom Cannon to Sunderland?

According to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, several second-tier sides including Preston, Stoke, Birmingham, and Sunderland are interested in signing the 20-year-old.

However, that bid has not been formalised due to Ross Stewart’s presence at the club. The Scot is currently out injured and Mowbray expects him to return to action in “six or seven weeks”, but if he does leave then Cannon can be considered as his replacement.

Would Tom Cannon be a good signing for Sunderland?

Cannon is a youth product of Everton and has been at the club since 2012, before signing his first professional contract in 2021.

For the Toffees’ U18 and U21 sides, the striker has registered 65 goal contributions in 97 outings. However, despite forming a spectacular reputation, the Irishman has been limited to just three appearances for the senior team.

The £7.5k-per-week man may feel especially overlooked when you consider Everton’s rotten goal-scoring record.

Last term, the Merseyside outfit only bagged 35 times in the Premier League and dramatically avoided relegation on the final day.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin only started 15 games due to persistent injuries, whilst Neal Maupay has netted just once in his Everton career.

Meanwhile, Cannon was sent out on loan to Preston in January 2023 and scored eight goals in 19 starts.

Hull City boss Liam Rosenior described the youngster as “outstanding”, with Preston midfielder Ryan Ledson extending this praise, saying:

“Tom Cannon has been absolutely brilliant. He’s a credit to himself and Everton Football Club. Since the second he’s come through the door he’s worked hard, got his head down and he’s a nice kid.

“He’s 20 years of age, has the world at his feet and all he needs to do is focus on himself and scoring goals because he can go wherever he wants to be.”

If Sunderland moved for Cannon, it could see a repeat of their Ellis Simms trick.

Last summer, the Wearside giants signed the Englishman on loan from Everton, and he notched nine goal involvements in 14 starts.

Whilst in impressive form, he was recalled by Everton to aid their relegation battle. He admirably deputised for Stewart, who has missed 38 games for the club through injury.

If Simms had spent the whole season at Sunderland, he could've allowed the Black Cats to formulate a more threatening promotion bid, paving an interesting storyline for Cannon if he follows suit.

Therefore, counting on Stewart and his patchy fitness record is a risky strategy and with Cannon waiting in the wings with the promise of more regular minutes, it could be an inspired piece of business.

There was a time in history when Manchester City vs Newcastle United was nothing more than a standard Premier League fixture that wouldn’t catch the eye of most.

Now, though, this is a clash of two of the richest clubs in the world. Since Man City’s takeover in 2008, they have won it all, most recently winning the treble.

They’ve used the benefit of Sheikh Mansour’s billions and been on an incredible journey that City fans could only dream of back in the late 1990s when they were competing in the third tier of English football.

Today, Newcastle are at the very beginning of their own path to bank-rolled glory. PIF’s 2021 takeover ended 14 years of disappointment and underachievement under the ownership of Mike Ashley and immediately transformed the Magpies from perennial underachievers to expectant competitors for the game’s largest honours.

While this particular fixture isn’t exactly a clash of two giants of the game right now, it will be in the not-too-distant future. It is, though, a battle between two heavily wealthy football club owners who are only interested in one thing: world domination.

The latest meeting between the pair came last month in match week two of the 2023/24 Premier League season. It saw City narrowly defeat Eddie Howe's side 1-0 thanks to a wonderful strike from Julián Álvarez, who is being widely tipped to become one of the best forwards in the world.

Ahead of Wednesday evening's cup clash, Football FanCast takes a look at how the stats rack up.

Newcastle vs Man City: Who has the better head-to-head record?

It is quite fitting that the record between these two clubs is almost as equal as their respective financial standing in the game.

Man City have enjoyed far more success over Newcastle in recent seasons, tipping the record in their favour, but before City’s fortunes changed in 2008, there wasn’t a dominant side in this fixture since their first-ever meeting in 1893, when Man City were known as Ardwick FC.

Since 2005, though, Newcastle have only managed to beat the Citizens twice in 34 attempts.

• Newcastle wins: 72
• Draws: 41
• Man City wins: 76

Newcastle vs Man City: Who has more wins at St James’ Park?

Quite surprisingly, despite the recent gulf between the two sides, Newcastle’s home record against Man City has been relatively strong.

Man City have failed to win in four of their last eight visits to St James’ Park, with their most recent loss coming in 2019 when goals from Salomon Rondon and Matt Ritchie cancelled out a first-minute Sergio Aguero opener.

That said, it was City’s first defeat at St. James’ Park since September 2005, when Michael Owen’s first-half goal secured a 1-0 win for the Magpies.

• Newcastle United wins: 52
• Draws: 20
• Man City wins: 23

Newcastle vs Man City: Who has more wins at the Etihad Stadium/Maine Road?

Man City have been incredibly strong on their own patch in recent years, especially under Pep Guardiola.

While they’ve been dominating the domestic game, even the strongest of Premier League sides have struggled to take anything away from the Etihad Stadium. So it’s no surprise that Newcastle’s away record against Man City is vastly inferior to their home record.

Their last win at the Etihad came via a 2-0 League Cup victory in 2014, while they have never won there in the Premier League. Their last away league win against Man City came in 2000 at Maine Road; Alan Shearer’s 74th-minute goal was enough for the three points.

• Newcastle United: 19
• Draws: 21
• Man City: 52

Man City vs Newcastle: Who has the better cup record?

Unlike the gulf between these two sides in the Premier League era, the cup meetings between Man City and Newcastle have been a more equal affair.

They have met in cup competitions on 16 occasions, most recently in 2020 when Man City were triumphant in St. James’ Park to advance to the FA Cup semi-finals via a 2-0 victory.

They’ve also met in two finals, once in the FA Cup (1976) and once in the League Cup (1955), with one victory a piece.

Given the expectation surrounding Newcastle’s future under their new owners, we might expect more clashes between sides in domestic finals pretty soon.

• Man City wins: 6
• Draws: 3
• Newcastle wins: 7

Man City vs Newcastle: Who has the better Premier League record?

It should come as no surprise that Man City have been utterly dominant in this fixture throughout the Premier League era.

Newcastle actually won the first Premier League meeting between the two sides on New Year's Day in 1994, and City only managed one top-flight victory over the Magpies before the turn of the century,

Overall, though, the Citizens have rather enjoyed playing Newcastle in the top flight, winning 29 of their 46 Premier League meetings and losing just eight.

Since that first meeting, City have scored an incredible 97 goals and kept 21 clean sheets, compared to Newcastle’s 43 and eight respectively.

• Man City wins: 29
• Draws: 9
• Newcastle wins: 8

Man City vs Newcastle: What were the last 6 meetings?

19th August 2023 – Manchester City 1-0 Newcastle United: City edged past a stubborn Newcastle United side, who were coming off the back of a thumping 5-1 victory against European-chasing Aston Villa.

The dazzling Phil Foden, who stepped in to replace the injured Kevin De Bruyne, set up Julián Álvarez to lash home a well-struck effort from just inside the area. The Argentine's 31st-minute goal turned out to be the winner as the visitors failed to really land a glove on the treble winners.

4th March 2023 – Manchester City 2-0 Newcastle United: This was a game that many considered a potential banana skin in City’s attempts to usurp Arsenal at the top of the league.

Newcastle needed all three points to close the gap on Spurs in the race for the top four, but City’s victory, via goals from Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva, took them to within two points of leaders Arsenal, and the rest is history.

21st August 2022 – Newcastle United 3-3 Manchester City: This was arguably the game that announced Newcastle as a completely new proposition to Premier League opposition following their takeover.

Having survived relegation just a few months earlier, this was a new dawn for the Magpies and they proved they could compete so early on in their journey by holding the Premier League champions to a thrilling six-goal thriller, despite taking a 3-1 lead.

8th May 2022 – Manchester City 5-0 Newcastle United: The most recent rampant City victory over Newcastle in the Premier League era. Goals from Aymeric Laporte, Rodri, Phil Foden and a Raheem Sterling brace humbled the Magpies at the Etihad.

19th December 2021 – Newcastle United 0-4 Manchester City: With Newcastle just two months into new-found wealth under PIF’s ownership, there was understandably a newfound sense of excitement at St James’ Park.

However, goals from Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling brought the Magpies faithful back down to earth with a bump.

14th May 2021 – Newcastle United 3-4 Manchester City: Played behind closed doors, this one will go down as a classic. Emil Krafth was the unlikely scorer of Newcastle’s opener – the first time they’d scored first against Man City for almost six years – but found themselves going in at half-time locked at 2-2.

Four crazy second-half minutes saw Joe Willock put Newcastle ahead before a Ferran Torres brace secured the Spaniard's hat-trick to ensure City took all three points away from St James’ Park.

Man City vs Newcastle: Who has the richest owners?

Since Sheikh Mansour purchased Manchester City for £200m in 2008, he has reportedly invested £2.5bn into the football club – roughly £1.5bn of which has gone on new signings – but is said to have a net worth of £17bn.

The actual owners of Man City are the Abu Dhabi United Group, which is an investment company for the Abu Dhabi royal family owned by Mansour. This makes Manchester City the second-richest club in the world. The first? Newcastle United.

A consortium led by Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) acquired an 80% share of Newcastle United in October 2021 for £300m. PIF is chaired by the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has a net worth of around £13bn, but the collective wealth of the PIF fund is thought to be in the region of £320bn.

That makes Man City’s riches look like pocket change, doesn’t it?

Who has played for Man City and Newcastle?

There are a handful of players who have played for both Manchester City and Newcastle United over the years, a few of which are huge names to Premier League fans around the world.

James Milner (Newcastle 2004-2008; Man City 2010-2015): The winger-turned-full-back started his career at Leeds United before joining Newcastle in 2004. He spent four years at St James’ Park before joining Aston Villa permanently for £12m.

Just two years passed before Man City purchased the England international for around £26m in 2010. From there, Milner went on to win all there is to win in the game, first at Man City and then at Liverpool, where he recently left to join Brighton & Hove Albion on a free transfer.

Milner made 136 appearances for Newcastle, scoring 11 goals. For City, he made 203 appearances and scored 18 goals. During his time at the Etihad, he won two Premier Leagues, an FA Cup and a League Cup.

Milner is now closing in on Gareth Barry’s all-time record of Premier League appearances (652) and could break that in the 2023/24 campaign if he can get enough game time at the AMEX.

Andrew Cole (Newcastle 1993-1995; Man City 2005-2006): Cole’s career is mostly underlined by his time at Manchester United, but before that, he was just as prolific for Newcastle, where he scored 68 goals in 84 first-team appearances before arriving at Old Trafford in a £6m deal in January 1995.

Five Premier League titles and a historic treble followed for Cole at Man United before he eventually ended up at Man City (via Blackburn Rovers and Fulham), where he scored 10 goals in 23 appearances during his solitary campaign in the blue half of Manchester.

He then went on to have spells with Portsmouth, Birmingham City, Sunderland, Burnley and Nottingham Forest before calling time on an illustrious career in 2009.

Craig Bellamy (Newcastle 2001-2005; Man City 2009-2011): The Wales international started his career at Norwich City, but really announced himself when Sir Bobby Robson signed him for Newcastle from Coventry City in a £6.5m deal in 2001. Bellamy went on to score 43 goals in 128 appearances for the Magpies before signing for Blackburn, via a season on loan at Celtic.

Spells at Liverpool and West Ham United followed before he ended up at Manchester City in a deal worth a reported £14m in 2008. Bellamy lasted just two seasons at the Etihad, in which he scored just 15 goals in 51 first-team appearances.

Other players to have played for both Newcastle and Man City include Shay Given, Laurent Chavet, Steve Howey, Sylvain Distin, Stuart Pearce, Dietmar Hamann, Joey Barton, Antoine Sibierski and Tommy Wright.

What is Man City’s biggest victory over Newcastle?

Man City have recorded a handful of 5-0 victories over Newcastle in the past, but the only time they scored more than five is when they won 6-1 at the Etihad Stadium in October 2015.

This game in particular is known mostly for Sergio Aguero’s emphatic 20-minute five-goal haul, with Kevin De Bruyne scoring the other.

However, Newcastle did actually take the lead in this game via Aleksandar Mitrovic’s 18th-minute opener. The two teams went into the break at 1-1 but by the 62nd minute, City were 6-1 up and Aguero had equalled the Premier League record for most goals in a single game.

What is Newcastle’s biggest victory over Man City?

Newcastle’s biggest victory over Manchester City came way back in October 1983 when they ran out 5-0 winners in a Division Two clash at St James’ Park.

A Peter Beardsley hat-trick was the headline of the game, while Chris Waddle and Kevin Keegan also found themselves on the scoresheet.

Since then, Newcastle have only managed to score more than three goals in a game against Manchester City on one occasion.

After missing out on Harry Maguire, it looks as though David Moyes is finally set to strengthen his backline at West Ham United, with an update emerging on Konstantinos Mavropanos.

The Hammers have so far signed just two reinforcements, in the form of James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez. Now, however, they're reportedly securing one more.

What's the latest on Konstantinos Mavropanos to West Ham?

With the London club targeting a centre-back this summer, VfB Stuttgart's Mavropanos is set to undergo a medical, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The deal itself is reportedly agreed at €20m, plus €5m in add-ons, with 10% of the fee going to Mavropanos' former club and West Ham's rivals, Arsenal.

The Hammers turned to the former Gunner after facing rejection from Manchester United's Maguire. With a deal in place with the Red Devils, it was the England international's decision that reportedly broke the move down.

Moyes looks to have finally got his defender, however, as West Ham look to avoid the chaos of a relegation battle this season, and enjoy the comforts of mid-table, at the very least, instead.

On the opening day of the season, of course, they secured a point against Bournemouth, in what they may see as the foundation to build from in the coming weeks.

Should West Ham sign Konstantinos Mavropanos?

After shipping 55 goals last season – the ninth-worst record in the league – it's fair to say that West Ham needed reinforcements in their backline this summer. And Mavropanos could prove to be an ideal choice.

The defender, who was one of the quickest in the Bundesliga, may have struggled to make his mark when at Arsenal, but ever since switching London for Stuttgart, he has proven exactly why he got the move to the Gunners in the first place. He's earned plenty of praise in the process, too, with former Stuttgart manager Pellegrino Matarazzo saying, via the official Bundesliga website:

"He always shows in training that he can produce magic.

"He's got heart, energy and determination. We need guys like him.

"He's our gladiator – a monster in terms of physique."

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

Meanwhile, Stuttgart sporting director Sven Mislintat said:

"Dinos is a prototype of everything this team stands for: always working, with a desire to win and to constantly improve.

"And when things aren't going well, he doesn't get negative. He always communicates well with his colleagues, and is always looking forward."

With that said, everything points to the notion that West Ham are getting themselves an excellent addition, and an addition whose speed is a particularly impressive trait.

As per the Bundesliga website, Mavropanos has previously clocked a top speed of 21.79 mph, showing pace that could play a crucial part in the Premier League when asked to keep up with the likes of Erling Haaland, and Mohamed Salah.

From West Ham's perspective, once medicals are done, and the defender is officially presented at the London Stadium, they'll want to get him involved as soon as possible. If the Hammers get the deal done in time, we may well see Mavropanos make his debut against Brighton & Hove Albion next Saturday.

West Ham United's summer pursuit of Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke has been much-publicised of late and a new update suggests they could still get their man.

Do West Ham want to sign Dominic Solanke?

The 25-year-old has really matured as a footballer in recent years, not quite making the grade at Liverpool as a youngster, but excelling for Bournemouth as time has passed.

Last season, Solanke scored six goals and registered seven assists in the Premier League, having netted an incredible 29 times in the Championship the previous year in Bournemouth's promotion campaign, and he has one in three games this time around, which actually came against West Ham on the opening weekend.

The Hammers have been strongly linked with a move for the Englishman before the summer transfer window ends on Friday night, seeing him as someone who can come in and provide competition for Michail Antonio, with the veteran attacker in a rich vein of form at the moment, scoring twice in three league games in 2023/24.

Now, a new update has emerged regarding West Ham's hopes of signing Solanke – one that suggests they could still strike a deal before the window slams shut later this week.

What's the latest on Dominic Solanke to West Ham?

According to an update from Football Insider, West Ham had scouts watching Solanke in action against Tottenham on Saturday afternoon, suggesting a late-summer move for him could still be on the cards:

"West Ham talent spotters watched Dominic Solanke in action for Bournemouth on Saturday, sources have told Football Insider. The Irons are keeping close tabs on the striker, 25, as they work on signing a centre-forward before the window shuts.

"West Ham scouts assessed Solanke against Liverpool the previous weekend and then once again in Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat to Tottenham."

Solanke could be just what West Ham are looking for this summer, at a time when things are looking hugely exciting, having racked up seven points from their opening three matches.

That includes highly impressive wins at home to Chelsea and away to Brighton, with the east Londoners spending the Declan Rice money wisely by bringing in the likes of Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse and Mohammed Kudus.

In Solanke, West Ham could have the ideal person to come in and add squad depth, quality and goals to their attack, and while he may not find it easy to oust Antonio immediately, he could be a great long-term replacement for him.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

The former Liverpool man possesses similar attributes to the current Hammers star, in terms of physical presence, pace and finishing ability, and Frank Lampard hailed him as a "high talent" earlier this year. Meanwhile, Gary O'Neil described him as an "absolutely massive" player for him during his time as Bournemouth manager.

Building a great squad has to be the aim for West Ham, with the huge money received for Rice's signature helping with that, and if Solanke could arrive before Friday's cutoff, it would feel like another significant piece of business, giving David Moyes' side the firepower to mount a genuine European push in the Premier League this season.

Having already lost once in North London this season, suffering a surprise defeat against Tottenham Hotspur, the last thing Manchester United would have wanted to do is leave the capital with the sour taste of zero points once more. Yet, come full-time at The Emirates, that's exactly what happened.

Erik ten Hag's side initially looked on course to complete a classic smash and grab on away turf, with Marcus Rashford scoring the opening goal, only for Martin Odegaard to hand Arsenal an instant response.

Going back and forth in the second-half, referee Anthony Taylor played a large part, overturning a decision to award Arsenal a penalty and ruling out Alejandro Garnacho's late goal.

This allowed Declan Rice the chance to score the winning goal in the 96th minute, before Gabriel Jesus added the cherry on top in the 11th minute of stoppage time.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag was left frustrated with the result and the refereeing display, which Dermot Gallagher has since discussed.

What did Dermot Gallagher say?

Instead of focusing on just Garnacho's ruled out goal, and Taylor's decision to overturn a penalty won for Arsenal by Kai Havertz, Gallagher looked at an incident in which substitute and debutant Rasmus Hojlund hit the deck when up against Gabriel Magalhaes inside the area.

The former referee however was baffled by Ten Hag's comments that it should have been a spot kick, saying on Sky Sports: "Physical contact, but I think the defender's just too strong. I think he pushes the ball too far, and the defender just holds his ground, and doesn't do anything wrong. You see this all the time, and I'd have been stunned if Anthony Taylor had given a penalty for it."

Ten Hag had a different opinion on the matter, saying after his side's defeat, via The Metro: "I think we played a very good game but I think everything went against us. With a little more luck we win the game.

"It is not offside [for Garnacho’s goal]. Wrong angle. It is a penalty on Hojlund. And when we concede a goal, it is a foul on Jonny Evans. It is so clear and obvious. But it was a step forward and I’m happy with the performance."

How have Manchester United performed this season?

United are yet to really get going after four Premier League games this season, and the warning signs were there from the off when they just about overcame the visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Red Devils followed their defeat of Wolves with a deserved loss against Tottenham Hotspur, before enjoying a lucky escape against Nottingham Forest, picking up all three points despite conceding twice in the first four minutes at Old Trafford.

Truth be told, another loss always looked on the horizon, and Ten Hag's side got exactly that against Arsenal. And, whilst some decisions failed to fall United's way, to say that Arsenal deserved all three points would be a fair statement.

Now, the Manchester club must turn their attention to using the international break to fix their mounting issues. If they fail to solve their current problems, then their next game, coming against Brighton & Hove Albion, could end in another defeat.

West Ham United could be set to reward three players with brand-new contracts in the very near future, with an update coming out of east London this week.

Latest West Ham news

David Moyes has guided the Irons to three wins out of their opening four Premier League matches so far this season; building upon their exceptional UEFA Europa Conference League triumph last term.

Despite losing some superstar players over the transfer window, most notably midfielder Declan Rice to Arsenal to the tune of £105 million, West Ham haven't looked back.

Impressive victories over the likes of in-form Brighton and big-spending Chelsea have showcased the real potential of this new-look Moyes side, with the east Londoners seriously reshaping their team.

Summer signings Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse have excelled in Claret and Blue. The former has been lavished with praise by members of the media for some of his performances, while the latter was desperately unlucky not to be selected for Gareth Southgate's England squad.

It's an exciting time to be a Hammer, as reports even suggest they could bolster their ranks further by re-signing free agent Jesse Lingard on a short-term deal.

West Ham also managed to keep hold of star defender Nayef Aguerd, despite some serious interest from Al-Ittihad just before the Saudi transfer window shut at 10pm on Thursday night.

Moyes, in more good news for the club, brought in a host of promising new additions to his backroom staff this week; appointing John Heitinga, Mark Robson and Henry Newman.

I would like to welcome John to West Ham United and also welcome Mark and Henry into the first-team group," said Moyes to the club's official website.

“John is someone I have known for a long time. He has gained some very good experience since beginning his coaching career in the Ajax Academy and working his way up to their first-team.

"Mark and Henry are both already familiar to everyone here at the Club and have deserved the opportunity to step up within our structure.

“John, Mark and Henry will each bring experience in different areas and complement the strengths we already have in the coaching team."

Who could leave West Ham?

The London Stadium side have displayed signs of real promise ahead of a long and congested 2023/2024 season, where they will also be competing in the UEFA Europa League.

West Ham's next goal is apparently to tie some of their key squad members down with new and improved contracts, with O'Rourke sharing three stars could now be offered fresh terms.

Indeed, writing for Football Insider, he claims that Pablo Fornals, Vladimir Coufal and Tomas Soucek are the the trio in question; as all of their contracts are set to expire in 2024 as things stand.

All three "will now start sitting down with the West Ham hierarchy about potential renewals", O'Rourke says. Meanwhile, initial contract talks have already been held with Coufal in particular.

Following a successful transfer window, where they also put pen to paper on deals for Ghana star Mohammed Kudus and ex-Arsenal ace Konstantinos Mavropanos, West Ham "are now set to turn attentions" to renewals.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is now advancing in his quest to conclude a deal at Anfield as the German coach continues his squad planning, as per reports.

What's the latest news involving Liverpool?

The Reds have made a relatively strong start to the 2023/24 campaign and sit third in the Premier League table with ten points from their first four fixtures in the English top flight.

Nevertheless, Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez has copped criticism from former England forward Jay Bothroyd, who believes that the Uruguay international needs to do more given his £85 million price tag. Speaking on Sky Sports Saturday Social, Bothroyd stated:

"For me he’s between a C and a D. When he has played he’s played the majority of games on the left, and when he has played as a striker I don’t think he’s played well. We spoke about missing chances, and he’s missed loads of chances. I know pricetags, at £80m, I’m expecting him to come in and score goals, but he hasn’t done it in the Premier League yet. He has to really work on his composure as a striker".

Cited by 90min, French defender Ibrahima Konate has taken to social media platform Instagram to show the world his progress as he battles back from a thigh injury. The 24-year-old posted footage of him going out on a run and also, later on, Konate showed fans himself on a bike ride, indicating that he is building his way back up to full fitness. It remains unclear when the former RB Leipzig defender will be available for selection once again.

Meanwhile, Brighton & Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma is believed to be on Liverpool's radar; however, Manchester City, Barcelona and Napoli are also keen on the Japan international, as per the same outlet.

Who could sign a new deal at Liverpool?

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has taken to social media platform X to issue an update on the state of play regarding the future of left-back Kostas Tsimikas at Anfield, stating:

"Liverpool are now advancing in talks to extend Kostas Tsimikas' contract. Negotiations are progressing to get it done as soon as possible. Discussions will continue to complete the agreement, as @JamesPearceLFC called."

Capology understand that the Greece international is contracted to Liverpool until the summer of 2025 and earns £50,000 per week on Merseyside.

In his time at Liverpool, Tsimikas has become a reliable understudy for Andy Robertson at left-back and has registered 12 assists in 62 appearances across all competitions for the Reds, as per Transfermarkt.

As per FBRef, the 27-year-old has excelled in comparison to his positional peers around Europe's top five divisions in the art of progressive passes received, taking in around 7.77 per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, putting him in the 92nd percentile for this metric.

Tsimikas may not overtake Robertson as Liverpool's starting left-back under Klopp in the immediate future; nevertheless, he has proven his worth as a capable deputy who can replicate the Scot's intensity both in attack and defence, with the Reds also in the Europa League this season.

Liverpool continued their fine start to the 2023/24 season with a solid win over West Ham United in the Premier League last weekend, running out 3–1 victors.

The result has the club sitting second in the league table, just two points behind Manchester City, and it looks as though their 2022/23 campaign was just a blip as Jurgen Klopp has certainly rejuvenated the side over the summer.

The Reds face Leicester City this evening in the EFL Cup at Anfield, and they will hope to continue their momentum with a win over the Championship outfit and progress into the fourth round.

What’s the Liverpool team news vs Leicester City?

Klopp will likely rotate his starting XI for the match this evening, especially with the hectic schedule they have over the next few weeks and this could see some youngsters potentially coming into the team.

Assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders spoke prior to the match regarding this, saying: “Of course we will make changes but we want to put our game into place, we want to be dominant, we want to be in their half of the pitch.

“I think always we proved already that we are using the squad and that’s something in this season that is really important to feel and to understand: this group of players, when they are all healthy, when they are all hungry, when they feel that they all at each moment can be used, they all find a certain development on their own, they are becoming better [no matter] how old they are.

“If we create these three or four things in the squad you know that success comes much closer, so we really search for that and we play every two or three days at the moment so we need to use freshness, we need to use hunger, we need to use the boys who really want to show, as we always did. But we are not just here about giving debuts, we are here to develop.”

This suggests the likes of Ben Doak and Jarell Quansah could gain more minutes in the first team as they continue their development, while a few of the senior figures at the club could drop to the bench, one of those being Luis Diaz.

Will Luis Diaz start for Liverpool against Leiscter City?

With games coming thick and fast in the coming weeks, Klopp will want to keep his star performers fresh and this could mean a rest for the likes of Diaz this evening.

The Colombian has become yet another wonderful signing for Klopp since joining the Anfield side in January 2022. He had an immediate impact, scoring six goals and grabbing five assists across his first 26 matches, while winning the EFL Cup and FA Cup in this period.

The winger missed 31 matches last term due to a knee injury suffered in October which stalled his progress slightly, but he has bounced back well during the current campaign, netting twice in six league matches so far.

The 26-year-old ranks third across the whole squad for shots on target per game (0.7) while also ranking fifth for key passes (1.2) and third for successful dribbles (1.2) per game too, indicating that he is returning to the form he displayed in his first six months at the club.

With tougher tasks ahead, the German should give Diaz a rest this evening and deploy another player who is returning to form of late – Diogo Jota.

How good has Diogo Jota been for Liverpool this season?

The Portuguese winger is now into his fourth season at the Reds and despite facing competition from the likes of Diaz and Darwen Nunez, Jota is still thriving when given an opportunity in the starting XI.

He has registered 60 goal contributions across just 119 matches, which works out at a goal involvement every two matches and this type of ratio is impressive.

He missed a large chunk of football last term due to a few injury problems, including a calf injury which saw him miss out on the 2022 World Cup, yet he still managed seven goals and eight assists in just 28 matches.

Jota was even hailed by his former teammate Conor Coady back in 2019, who dubbed him “a sensational footballer” due to his performances for Wolverhampton Wanderers, and he has certainly carried this into his Liverpool career.

The former Wolves man has enjoyed a resurgence this term as he currently ranks fifth in the squad for successful dribbles (one) and second for goal frequency (scores every 132 minutes), certainly giving Klopp a major selection headache.

When compared to positional peers, Jota is also displaying some impressive numbers across a range of attacking metrics. According to FBref, he currently ranks in the top 3% among positionally similar players in Europe's top five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.52) and the top 3% for assists per 90 (0.41) while ranking in the top 12% for touches in the opposition penalty area per 90 (6.09). Indeed, it’s evident that he gives Klopp that extra attacking edge, whether it's from the first whistle or coming off the bench during a match.

The winger only played nine minutes during the 3-1 win against West Ham last weekend, replacing Diaz, yet he made an immediate impact by scoring their third goal and securing all three points for the Anfield side.

During his brief time on the pitch, the £140k-per-week forward managed to take two shots, nine touches and was accurate with his one long pass and there is no doubt he will be fresh and raring to go should he be given a chance against the Foxes this evening.

Resting Diaz would be the sensible thing to do for Klopp, especially when he already has a more than adequate replacement in Jota waiting for another chance to showcase his abilities.

The chance to make up for a trophy-less season last term will surely drive the former Borussia Dortmund manager into picking a lineup combining both experience and youth which will not only win the tie, but show the manager just how impressive his squad depth really is heading into a hectic few weeks.

Impressive legacies are difficult to replicate. Ask anyone. It's been said before many times through the years. At the very worst, feeble attempts barely fill the cavernous echoes of past successes that reverberate around deep in the annals of sporting time. One man who set that sort of hard-to-repeat example is Newcastle legend Alan Shearer.

If his individual success was to be measured in noise, it would deafen most copycat strikers – especially those that come from the same proud, nearly culturally autonomous area of the country. The decibels would likely be high enough to explode across several St James' Parks.

Just how good was Alan Shearer?

What is often the case with brutally good goalscorers, is that the numbers speak for themselves sometimes overshadowing the raw quality. Magpies icon Shearer in a way, is like that – being the record Premier League goalscorer with 260 goals. In part though, just the briefest of examples reflect how the arm-raising nine could score some truly outlandish finishes.

Heading: Look up 'Alan Shearer header' on YouTube and the first thing that appears is quite amazing. It's a diving effort that is quite frankly the model example of what a diving header should be like. It's a classic Champions League night at St. James' and Leverkusen have travelled in for their Group A clash. Alan's wasting no time, and proceeds to lay down a sweet 36-minute hat-trick against the Germans.

His first goal is the header. Gary Speed curls in a delightful ball from the left. Al's marker, Diego Placente, has got lost in the fog of the Tyne and BAM. It's like a forefather of van Persie's header against Spain. It's that sort of leap but unlike Robin's looper, this is thunderous and sharp as it whizzes nastily into the bottom right. Poor Hans Jorg-Butt has absolutely no chance.

Powerful infamy: The next strike highlighted of Shearer-quality actually comes against Everton earlier in that very same season. You must've seen it. It's classic Alan. This volley from December 2002 is a black-and-white humbug for the travelling Toffees.

The ball is knocked forward and a backtracking Everton offer up a measly attempted clearance. Oh dear. The ball is falling so slowly, but should be fine. Er, that's Shearer running onto it. Brace for impact. Swerve, power, goal. Synonyms and onomatopoeias don't do the work. Just watch. The fans are up as is the hand reinforced with a cheeky grin.

If the defence started the festive period as they meant to go on, they had already booked their places on the naughty list as Newcastle were allowed to fight back to a 2-1 win. Shearer's stunning volley from 22 yards was as much a kick up his teammates' backsides as it was a pelter into the top right corner. It's attacking impetus at its very finest.

It's remarkable, therefore, to think Toon supporters once thought they had their next Shearer. Andy Carroll, anyone?

Where did Andy Carroll come from?

Picture it. It's now 2006. Those blitzing Shearer goals from just a few years ago have faded like the beloved immediacy of a Polaroid photograph. Like the mid-2000s ever-shifting degrees of technology, the famed striker's retirement snaps into a passing of the figurative baton.

Out of the academy, Carroll has made some impressive progress. This includes making his debut in the UEFA Cup at 17 years and 300 days in November '06 before forcing Premier League appearances from February 2007.

In fashion almost too good to be true, whilst one home hero has departed – another has seamlessly emerged in Gateshead's Carroll. How did he fare?

How did Andy Carroll compare to Alan Shearer?

Unfortunately for Carroll, although he fits the geographical profile of a beloved Shearer – he endured a career that tapered off in a different direction. The direction he traipsed was that of injury and blanks. After a promising start, Carroll's career has left many feeling that potential was never reached.

In comparison to Shearer's 206 goals for the Magpies in 405 games, Carroll couldn't even muster half his idol's appearances in two spells. It could be argued that the hype branded onto Carroll by Andy Gray was too much too soon. Gray labelled Carroll "the next Shearer" and as you could likely imagine those are some huge boots to fill, no matter how big the 6 foot 4 Carroll's feet might've been.

Despite injuries, and given Carroll's differing skill complexion as a footballer – he used what he had to the best of his abilities in terms of influencing games. His own data on Transfermarkt displays limited goals, yes. But in terms of creation, he matched his scoring. In a total of 248 Premier League games, Carroll scored 54 goals and provided 30 assists.

Enabling hold-up play, promoting knockdowns, the long ball and offensive partnerships truly reflects that Carroll was a very different nine to the more dynamic Shearer.

Additionally, when Shearer was in his Newcastle prime – the club was in a very different place to where it was when it was headed up by the likes of Andy Carroll. Carroll's best season arrived in the Championship with Newcastle's relegation. He scored 17 in 33 that term, before getting 11 in 19 back in the top-flight to set the transfer deadline day rumour mill running.

Where is Andy Carroll now?

As said, Carroll had two stints with his boyhood Magpies. Yet, in between those he managed a noteworthy career as a Premier League big man.

He even made history as he left St. James' Park the first time in 2010 – joining Liverpool for £35m right at the last minute in what was the most expensive British transfer at the time. He joined alongside fellow frontman Luis Suarez who came in from Ajax. At least Kenny got one move right…

Time at Liverpool was ultimately limited to just two years after Carroll struggled to hit any form. He moved on to West Ham where he endured six injury-riddled years.

After his second stint at Newcastle (2019-21), he moved back into the Championship with Reading. From 2021, he pinballed to West Brom and back to Reading where he popped up in brilliant cult displays.

Rocking the number two jersey on request of his young daughter, Carroll scored eight league goals in 25 2022-23 appearances. After this, amidst Reading's looming financial struggle, Carroll moved on to Amiens in France's Ligue 2.

Disgraced Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has been told that returning to Manchester United was his biggest "mistake".

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• Pogba rejoined Man Utd for club record fee in 2016
• Failed to live up to £89m price tag
• Now facing four-year ban at Juventus

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Pogba's future in professional football was thrown into doubt when he tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone after a Serie A game against Udinese in August, with a provisional suspension imposed on September 11. He also saw the results of a 'B' sample come back positive the following month, with Juventus subsequently placing him on the lowest possible salary while waiting for a final verdict on his case. That was eventually delivered last Thursday, as Italy’s sport prosecutor saw a request to hand Pogba a four-year ban granted by the national anti-doping body.

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  WHAT GARTH CROOKS SAID

  Former Manchester United forward Garth Crooks believes Pogba has wasted his vast potential. He has also suggested the France international should never have returned to Old Trafford from Juve for a second spell, with the Red Devils paying a club-record £89 million ($113m) fee to bring him back onto their books in 2016. Pogba spectacularly fail to live up that price tag, and United let his contract run down to its expiry date in June 2022 before Juve re-signed him on a free transfer.

  "He certainly is an enigma; a complicated and inconsistent player without doubt, but no right-minded football person could ever argue that his talent has been wasted – he won four Italian Serie A titles and a World Cup for goodness sake," Crooks wrote in his latest column for BBC Sport. "There can only be a handful of players anywhere in the world with that sort of record.

  "Pogba's mistake was returning to Manchester United for a staggering £89m, and not just failing to win the Premier League, but not even coming close. That is why the France superstar will never acquire the legendary status afforded by United fans to the likes of Bryan Robson, Roy Keane or David Beckham, none of whom had Pogba's gifts or won the World Cup."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Crooks sympathises with supporters that have kept faith in Pogba throughout his career, only to see him continually let them down. "I have been one of Pogba's biggest critics," he added. "Not because of his colourful hairstyles, however much I hated them, but that on too many occasions he robbed us of his genius. All football fans want to see is those who have the magic produce it when they pay to see it. Sadly the magic, all too often, simply wasn't there. And now we feel short-changed."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR POGBA?

  Pogba said he was "sad, shocked and heartbroken" with the final verdict on his doping case, before adding in a statement on social media: "Everything I have built in my professional career has been taken away from me."

  The World Cup winner also confirmed he will appeal, but if that is unsuccessful, he won't be clear to play competitive football again until 2027 – at which time he will be 34 – with the ban backdated to the date of his first failed test.