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Dean Smith’s time as Aston Villa manager was severely under pressure heading into this weekend’s Premier League action but sadly, it ended up being his last in the dugout.

As the Villans slipped to a 1-0 defeat against Southampton, Smith left the stadium and was then handed his marching orders less than 24 hours later.

What’s the word?

Villa are now without a point in their last five matches but the club’s hierarchy have used the upcoming international break to make a much-needed change.

With the club in no danger of improving their form, they told the 50-year-old to pack his bags and head out of the exit door.

Consequently, NSWE are now looking for a new manager.

The Sun revealed on Saturday evening that they may consider Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand but fresh reports dictate there are other irons in the fire.

John Percy of The Telegraph shared on Sunday afternoon that Steven Gerrard was on Villa’s shortlist.

Fans buzzing

This is a piece of news that should leave the Villa supporters buzzing.

Gerrard might not have very much experience under his belt but the fact of the matter is, he could improve them in multiple facets.

He has installed a gritty and never-say-die attitude within his players at Rangers, a mentality that helped them end Celtic’s nine-year stronghold over Scottish football as the Gers won the Premiership last season.

The Liverpudlian ensured that happened by combining a swashbuckling offensive approach with a sturdy backline.

His team scored 78 goals and conceded just ten times in 33 outings, suggesting he could improve Villa’s leaky backline.

So far this term, the Midlands outfit have shipped 20 goals, the highest volume outside of the relegation zone.

First and foremost, the new manager must make Villa harder to beat and in Gerrard, a manager who already knows how to win things, they’d definitely discover that.

Of course, the Premier League is a completely different beast to the SPFL but if he comes in and manages to revive Villa, as he did Rangers, the supporters at the club would undoubtedly be delighted to see him in the hot seat.

AND in other news, Forget Buendia: Villa must sign £18m-rated star who “every coach would love to have”…

Steven Gerrard will be without four of his Aston Villa players for the trip to Leicester City, The Athletic’s Gregg Evans reports. 

Lucas Digne, Bertrand Traore, Kortney Hause and Morgan Sanson have all been ruled out of the clash with the Foxes.

The lowdown

Villa travel to The King Power Stadium looking to end a run of four consecutive Premier League defeats that has seen them slip to 15th place in the table.

Gerrard’s predecessor Dean Smith was actually sacked by Villa after a sequence of five straight losses in the autumn.

They didn’t play last weekend after their clash with Liverpool was postponed because of the Reds’ FA Cup semifinal commitments. Gerrard will hope that the extended break has benefitted his squad.

Their hosts are six places above them in the table, but might just have one eye on their Europa Conference League semifinal clash with AS Roma on Thursday night.

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The latest

Evans tweeted on Friday morning that Traore would miss the match with a groin injury, with Kortney Hause and Morgan Sanson also ‘unavailable’ and ‘out of the trip to LCFC’.

The journalist added that Digne has ‘an outside chance’ of returning for the ‘final games of the season’ after breaking his collarbone last time out against Tottenham Hotspur.

The verdict

Immediately after the meeting with Spurs, Gerrard expressed his fear that Digne would be out for the rest of the season.

From that point of view, it’s perhaps a positive that he could still play a part for the Villans in the coming weeks.

As for the other absentees, Hause hasn’t made the matchday squad since the clash with Southampton at the start of March and hasn’t played a Premier League minute since 22 January.

But Traore has provided Gerrard with an option off the bench, having most recently played the last 20 minutes of the narrow defeat against Arsenal.

Sanson’s absence is an even bigger blow given that he started against Wolves earlier this month.

And with the depth of his squad reduced by injury, it will be even more difficult for Gerrard to stop the rot.

In other news, West Ham are keen to sign this Villa star.

Antonio Conte has reportedly now identified his main transfer target for Tottenham Hotspur – Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie.

The Lowdown: Well-known

McKennie is a player that is well-known to both Conte and Fabio Paratici, given their connections to Serie A.

Of course, Conte thrived at Inter Milan last season, guiding them to the Serie A title ahead of McKennie’s Juventus, while Paratici used to be the managing director at the Old Lady before moving on to Spurs.

McKennie is a player that Paratici was particularly fond of during his time at Juve, claiming that he is ‘very exuberant’ and ‘very intelligent’, while adding that they had ‘high expectations’ of him (Juve FC).

Former Juventus manager Andrea Pirlo even went as far as to call him a ‘rock’ in his team earlier this year, so he is a player that is certainly generating excitement.

The Latest: Main target

As per Calciomercato, Conte will now look to sign McKennie for Spurs in the January transfer window, and he is the even ‘first name on his wish list’.

However, for the North London club to have any chance of securing his signature next month, they would need to cough up at least €30-35m (£25.3-29.6m).

The Verdict: Get it done

At just 23 years of age, McKennie is already playing at a high level, having shined at FC Schalke before he moved to Juventus.

He has already featured 18 times in the UEFA Champions League for both clubs combined, and clearly has a high ceiling given the lofty praise from those who have worked with him.

Nonetheless, he is already making a name for himself at international level as well, racking up no fewer than 28 senior caps for the United States, while he was also named their Footballer of the Year in 2020.

Harry Winks, Tanguy Ndombele and Dele Alli could all be leaving the Lilywhites soon, which would certainly open up a midfield slot for McKennie to grab with both arms.

In other news, find out which ‘undefendable’ beast Conte is now keen on here!

Crystal Palace have not made any official bids or opened talks with any potential signings this month so far, and that includes the view of securing permanent deals for their current loan players too, with one, in particular, becoming a doubt for securing a longer stay at the club.

What’s the word?

Sky Sports journalist, Michael Bridge, has revealed that the Eagles are “nowhere near” the clause that forces them into signing striker, Jean-Philippe Mateta, on a permanent deal at the club.

Bridge told GIVEMESPORT:

“The deal at the moment with buying Mateta in terms of how many games he’s played for Palace, they’re nowhere near it. So, they’re under no pressure with that at the moment.”

Mateta has been linked already with a move away from the club during the current transfer windows, as it was reported that his parent club, Mainz, were ready to recall the player for him to go back out on loan to Saint Etienne, but it was then further reported that Palace blocked the move.

Fans may be fuming

With Christian Benteke reportedly on the move to Burnley after an offer was made for him over the weekend, Palace fans will surely be rather puzzled and angered to see further unsettlement in their forward line, especially when the side is picking up more draws than wins at the moment with nine draws on the board in the Premier League this season.

Thus, they clearly need to take more goal-scoring opportunities and shipping on two offensive options in one window would be a strange way of doing that.

The 24-year-old Frenchman has only made 15 appearances for the club so far during his 18 month loan spell that started in January 2020 scoring three goals in just 589 minutes played over the last year. That is hardly mind-boggling but if they let him leave alongside Benteke, it would severely hamper Vieira’s options.

Eagles fans are keen for the striker to stay at the South London club, with many taking to Twitter to offer their opinion on his future at the club, one fan even tweeted: “Mateta needs to stay #cpfc.”

Vieira will need to make an important decision on the future of his forward line, with the club also linked to signing Eddie Nketiah and interest from other clubs for the signing of Benteke, the French manager will need to assess his options and work out if Mateta fits into his future plans for the club.

Despite not playing, there is an argument to make that the Eagles would be better off keeping him for the second part of the campaign.

In other news: Vieira could finally axe Benteke to sign Nketiah

Leeds United are interested in signing Liverpool forward Takumi Minamino on loan before Monday’s deadline.

The Lowdown: Leeds linked with Minamino move

The Whites are running out of time to make any January additions but one player who could still potentially arrive is the Japan international attacker.

Indeed, Minamino has been linked with a move to Elland Road in recent days, with Liverpool’s incoming signing of Luis Diaz putting him further down the pecking order.

A new update has now emerged, suggesting Leeds could turn to the Reds playmaker in the next 24 hours due to stalling talks for Brenden Aaronson.

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The Latest: New update emerges

According to The Daily Mail, the Whites are looking to sign Minamino on loan until the end of the season, providing Marcelo Bielsa with another body in attack.

With Leeds’ move for Aaronson reportedly at an ‘impasse’, the Liverpool man is being looked at this month instead.

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The Verdict: Perfect alternative

Minamino has struggled to make the grade at Liverpool, only managing 49 appearances since arriving from RB Salzburg two years ago, with more illustrious names keeping him out of the team.

He is a talented footballer who could be a shrewd signing by Leeds however, with a loan deal now making perfect sense. Phil Hay has confirmed the Whites are willing to wait until the summer to sign Aaronson, so should Minamino fail to impress in a temporary stint, they can simply replace him with the American once the season ends.

Minamino has been hailed as ‘outstanding’ by Jurgen Klopp – having netted six times in all competitions this season, so he should be able to provide that extra bit of creativity and end product Leeds are currently missing until they can try again for Aaronson.

The Japan starlet would give Bielsa the added firepower that he needs between now and May, especially with Patrick Bamford still sidelined.

In other news, a journalist has confirmed some interest in one Leeds hero. Find out who it is here.

Leeds United have made a bid for a second player after their offer for RB Salzburg’s Brenden Aaronson, David Anderson reported late Tuesday evening.

The Lowdown: Aaronson bid

News emerged on Tuesday evening regarding Leeds’ move for Aaronson.

The Whites were linked with a move for the American before the January transfer window opened, however, it was believed then that Victor Orta wouldn’t be able to sign the 21-year-old this month due to Salzburg’s qualification into the last 16 of the Champions League.

Leeds have recently had an offer in the region of £15m rejected for Aaronson but remain intent on signing him before the end of the month.

The Latest: Anderson’s post

Anderson took to Twitter shortly after the news emerged of Leeds’ failed bid for Aaronson on Tuesday night.

The Daily Mirror man claimed that Orta is ‘busy’ and has made an official offer for a second unnamed player.

“Victor Orta is being busy and Leeds have also tabled a bid for a second as of yet unidentified player.”

The Verdict: Who could it be?

Orta was thought to be after a defensive and attacking midfielder this month, and with Aaronson the latter, you’d expect this unnamed second target could be a holding midfielder.

Bringing one in could be just as important as signing Aaronson, especially with Kalvin Phillips out until March and Adam Forshaw recently suffering a fresh injury against West Ham.

One player who has also been linked in recent days is Standard Liege’s Nicolas Raskin, but it seems as if the Whites are keeping quiet on this second offer – perhaps a return to Nahitan Nandez?

In other news: Positive Leeds injury claim regarding two players emerges. 

Celtic winger James Forrest has been pictured back in training ahead of the Hoops’ trip to Hibernian on Wednesday evening.

The Lowdown: Forrest’s absence

Forrest, who missed a large portion of the previous campaign through injury, has been absent under Ange Postecoglou since August.

His last appearance and goal came in a 2-0 win over AZ Alkmaar, with the 30-year-old, labelled as ‘priceless’ by Neil Lennon, missing the last 13 games as a result.

However, it appears as if he could be closing in on a return.

The Latest: Hoops’ under-the-radar post

Celtic posted a training gallery on their official website on Tuesday, however, they didn’t share the images on their Twitter page.

Forrest was pictured in the gallery for preparations against Hibs alongside his Hoops teammates, so it appears as if he could be involved at Easter Road.

The Verdict: Place on the bench?

Postecoglou has relied on summer signings Jota, Liel Abada and even Kyogo Furuhashi out wide with Forrest sidelined, so it would be a big boost if he could be involved in some capacity this evening.

It could still be too soon for a start, however, easing him back into the matchday squad with a place on the bench and a possible cameo appearance may well be the smarter call.

In other news: ‘Ambitious’ Celtic beast wanted by Premier League clubs in the summer may now leave in January. 

West Ham United host Everton in the Premier League this afternoon in what proves to be a crucial contest at both ends of the table.

However, the Hammers’ fortunes could be boosted by the return of their top scorer Jarrod Bowen ahead of the Toffees’ visit to East London.

What’s the latest?

According to West Ham manager David Moyes, Bowen could be in contention for a return to the Scotsman’s squad as they take on Frank Lampard’s side at the London Stadium. Right-back Vladimir Coufal could also be available after a hernia issue.

Ahead of the clash, the 58-year-old said: “A chance that both could make it. Both did a bit of training over the international break so a chance both can be there. I’m not quite sure they are match ready yet. That’s my only concern.”

Bowen has been absent for a month since limping off against Liverpool in early March with scans later revealing a fractured bone in the winger’s foot.

On the chalkboard

Although there’s no guarantee that he will be ready for the matchday squad, the idea that Bowen could be in contention today and is close to returning to action ahead of a hectic run-in will be music to the ears of Hammers supporters.

The Englishman has arguably been the Irons’ player of the season, particularly this side of the turn of the year, with the wide man in electric form prior to his setback and currently sits at the top of the scoring charts ahead of Michail Antonio.

The 25-year-old has netted 12 goals and registered 11 assists in 39 appearances across all competitions thus far, a goal contribution every 1.7 games. Moreover, seven of those goals have come in 2022.

Moreover, the former Hull City man ranks top for successful dribbles per game in the West Ham squad with 1.6 per league game and joint-second for key passes with 1.3.

Granted, without the Englishman the East London outfit have been able to manage, with the Hammers progressing to the Europa League quarter-finals with an aggregate victory over Sevilla whilst also beating Aston Villa in the Premier League.

As well as that, wide man Andriy Yarmolenko has come off of the bench twice to score decisive goals whilst winger Said Benrahma netted in the 3-1 defeat to Tottenham last time out whilst attacking midfielder Pablo Fornals was on the score sheet against Aston Villa whilst Bowen was on the sidelines.

Over the course of the season though, Bowen has three more goals than Benrahma whilst scoring double that of Fornals and Manuel Lanzini.

Moreover, the Algerian’s effort against Spurs was the 26-year-old’s first in the league since 28 December, suggesting that if Bowen is fit to start he could be the man to make way.

In fact, the wide man was likened earlier this season by former Hammers coach Stuart Pearce to Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, saying: “The comparison between him and Mo Salah, we have looked at the way Salah stands the defender up and stops and then goes again or uses the defender to curl the ball around into the far corner.”

Looking at the bigger picture, Moyes’ side have temporarily dropped out of the European places after yesterday’s results in the top flight, making today’s clash with relegation-battling Everton particularly crucial.

Furthermore, the Irons now have eight league matches as well as at least two Europa League clashes against French side Lyon before the end of May, with the battle for European qualification seriously hotting up as we approach the back end of the season.

Therefore, the return of such a crucial player in Bowen will be incredibly welcome.

In other news: Moyes axes £43k-p/w dud and unleashes “fantastic” talent: West Ham predicted XI

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly long held an interest in Konrad Laimer and they could make their move in this summer’s transfer window.

That’s according to German outlet Sport Bild, who claim that the 24-year-old’s form for RB Leipzig this season has alerted teams in the Premier League, in which Spurs are named as one keen party.

The Austria international has actually been considered by Lilywhites scouts for several years, ever since his involvement in the Bundesliga outfit’s two-legged demolition of the north Londoners in the Champions League in 2020.

Ahead of Laimer entering the final 12 months of his current contract, Spurs could finally strike on their long-time target.

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It’s no surprise to see manager Antonio Conte interested in the £23.4m-rated powerhouse as his playing style has earned quite the praise indeed, even drawing comparisons to the Italian’s former Chelsea star N’Golo Kante.

The 52-year-old led the Blues to a Premier League and FA Cup triumph during his time at Stamford Bridge and the Frenchman was a key signing in that run. Conte could do with a similar player over in N17 now.

‘You’ll be hard-pressed to find a player who harries the opposition quite as intensively as Laimer, who is also a dab hand at shielding the ball, recycling possession and facilitating counter-attacks. ‘Dirty Work’ could be his middle name,’ wrote Bundesliga.com.

Indeed, the 24-year-old – who grew up idolising Steven Gerrard – has earned similar acclaim from others around him.

His former boss Adi Hutter lauded him as “incredibly aggressive on the ball”, whilst former West Ham forward and international compatriot Marko Arnautovic believes he can cover a “crazy” amount of ground and that he has a “huge future”.

At the weekend, Laimer dropped two goals and one assist on Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund to take his total for the season to nine direct goal contributions, so evidently he can add more in the final third than Kante.

That doesn’t take away from his defensive attributes whatsoever, having averaged 4.78 tackles and interceptions per 90 across five seasons at Leipzig, on top of 31.6 pressures per game, only emphasising his impressive and industrious work rate in the engine room, as per FBRef.

Compared to his positional peers across Europe over the last year, the Austrian machine ranks inside the top 1% for pressures and 4% for non-penalty xG+A (expected goals and assists) too.

In the year that Chelsea won the league title with Kante in midfield in 2017, he averaged 3.6 tackles and 2.4 interceptions per game, via WhoScored, so you can instantly see the similarities between the two players.

In Laimer, who is also dubbed an “elite presser”, Spurs sporting director Fabio Paratici could well land Conte his next Kante-like monster.

AND in other news, Spurs handed big transfer boost in pursuit of Premier League enforcer…

Taking to Twitter, Sport 1 reporter Patrick Berger has made a promising claim involving Inter Milan star Ivan Perisic and a possible move to Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: Conte turns to former club?

As well as being linked with possible swoops for a plethora of Serie A stars (Calciomercato), the Spurs manager has also been tipped to raid his former club for talent as he looks to oversee a new era at N17.

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January is looming and Tottenham’s last humbling, a 2-1 defeat to Slovenian minnows NS Mura in the Europa Conference League, is perhaps an indication that Conte seriously needs to strengthen in the winter window.

Despite the urgency, Spurs could also sign targets on pre-contracts ahead of free moves in the summer, with the likes of Marcelo Brozovic and Franck Kessie repeatedly linked in this regard.

News has now emerged on one man who Conte could also negotiate as a free agent for 2022 with his contract winding down.

The Latest: Perisic eyeing move to Spurs…

As per Berger, writing on social media, Perisic’s deal at Inter expires next summer, and while he is thinking about an extension, he’s also eyeing a move to Tottenham to work under his former manager. The journalist tweeted:

“A transfer of Ivan Perisic back to the Bundesliga (#BVB or Wolfsburg) won’t happen. The contract of the 32yo Croatian @Inter runs out in summer,” he explained.

“There are talks to extend. But P. is also thinking about to join Tottenham where he could work with his ex-boss Antonio Conte.”

Sport 1 also believe that there are ‘currently talks with Tottenham’ as Perisic considers his future away from the San Siro.

The Verdict: Get it done?

The 32-year-old has been linked with Spurs sporadically over the last few years and former N17 boss Jose Mourinho is certainly a huge fan, but would Perisic bolster Conte’s options?

Once valued at £50m, the 6 foot 1 powerhouse is an international star and legend for his country, amassing 111 caps for Croatia and cementing himself into folklore with an equalising World Cup semi-final goal against England in 2018.

A versatile forward, Perisic can play either out wide or as a second striker, potentially coming as an unlikely temporary solution to Tottenham’s lack of a senior centre-forward alternative to Harry Kane.

On a free deal Spurs would have little to lose, but Perisic’s age indicates that he would be a short-term solution further forward, possibly coming as another option if the Lilywhites can’t land long-time target Dusan Vlahovic.

In other news: Eight players now safe from Spurs axe after impressing Conte behind the scenes, find out more here.