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Jamie O’Hara has urged Antonio Conte to start using a 4-2-3-1 formation instead of his favoured back three at Tottenham Hotspur when Cristian Romero is unavailable.

The Lowdown: Spurs struggle for consistency

Spurs suffered a huge dent to top-four hopes last weekend as they were destroyed by Leicester City while teams around them picked up points, which now puts them two points off the Champions League places.

That has been the story of Tottenham’s season, though, as they have dropped points against the likes of Leicester, Aston Villa and Brentford, which is why they are currently part of the chasing pack.

Conte has been very set in his ways since coming to Tottenham as he has very rarely strayed from his trusted three-at-the-back formation, and O’Hara believes that the Italian needs to freshen it up when certain players are not available, as Spurs’ depth is evidently not good enough.

The Latest: Conte could soon freshen things up

With how poor Spurs were at the weekend, O’Hara ranted on TalkSport about how sticking by his 3-4-3 system is hindering Tottenham’s displays. The ex-Spurs midfielder had previously criticised the performances of Japhet Tanganga in that setup used against Leicester at the weekend.

He said: “If Romero’s not fit or he’s injured or he’s [suspended], you can’t play three at the back. Just change it.

“Play four at the back, 4-2-3-1, play Kulusevski as a 10. You’ve brought in Danjuma, play him on the right; Son on the left; Kane up front.

“4-2-3-1, you’ve got a top team, there. I don’t understand why he perseveres with this 3-4-3 formation, constantly having to play it and everyone can see that it doesn’t work.”

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The Verdict: Something needs to change

As things stand, Spurs appear to have a huge uphill battle on their hands to finish in the top four, as Manchester United are seemingly only getting better and Newcastle are constantly finding ways to earn points.

Therefore, it could well be worth Conte unleashing a new formation that many wouldn’t expect him to use and bringing in a new face like Danjuma, as despite his top-flight experience, he is still a rather unknown quantity having not started a league game for the club.

It would be rather surprising if Conte was to field his Spurs side in anything that wasn’t a three-at-the-back formation, as that’s not happened even once this campaign, but if they fail to find consistency, he surely has to reconsider his tactics before their season ends prematurely.

Newcastle United’s Kieran Trippier was hailed after their Carabao Cup victory on Tuesday night by their former shot-stopper, Shay Given.

What’s the latest?

Eddie Howe’s men have secured the club’s first trip to Wembley since 1999 following their victory against Southampton on Tuesday night in the second leg of their League Cup semi-final.

Goals from Sean Longstaff saw the Magpies win the tie 3-1 on aggregate after Che Adams’ first-half strike provided the visitors with a glimmer of hope.

And it was their captain, Trippier, who provided the midfielder with the first assist of the evening to help settle the nerves at a packed St. James’ Park.

Following the game, speaking on Sky Sports, Given hailed the right-back following his interview with the broadcaster after the victory on Tyneside:

“I watched you at Burnley, Tottenham, Atletico. You won the league in Spain, it’s unbelievable. But I’ve watched you in every single game at Newcastle because I’ve covered a lot of the games and I can’t believe how good of a player you are.

“And I’m not just saying that because you’re standing next to me. Rarely gives the ball away, your passing, the power on the pass, the perfect weight of pass, it gives the message to the player receiving.

“I don’t know, I just didn’t believe you were that good until I watched you every week.”

Leading the way

Since Trippier’s arrival at Newcastle, the Toon have found their feet under the new ownership and are producing the goods on the pitch both in the League Cup and in the league.

In his 34 appearances across all competitions for the Magpies, Trippier has already been able to provide Howe with an impressive return of three goals and seven assists.

And 27 of those appearances have come this season where he has been able to provide all seven of his assists for the club.

It just goes to show how much the move to Atletico Madrid may have transformed him as a player given his last season with Tottenham Hotspur was not noticed as one of his finest.

Having played in a league-winning side in Spain, it does seem as if the Englishman has carried over the experience and knowledge he may have picked up during his time in Madrid.

And it does appear as if the manager has also picked up on this with Howe singing the 32-year-old’s praise:

“His leadership and inspiring character was hugely important, and now on the pitch this year I think he’s been outstanding. His defensive work, his attacking work really does deserve the contract. I’m delighted with him.”

The right-back has now put pen to paper on a new deal with the club which will extend his stay on Tyneside for another couple of years until 2025.

But having been linked with a new right-back in the January transfer window, it has become pretty clear any new arrival would likely be at in the wings waiting for an opportunity behind Trippier.

Erik ten Hag has wasted no time during the January transfer window, securing two new signings for Manchester United, with Wout Weghorst and Jack Butland arriving on loan deals until the end of the season.

The Dutchman will be aiming to bring in one or two more, preferably permanent signings, before the end of the transfer window in order to bolster his squad ahead of a vitally important few months ahead.

Man United have big ambitions and although Ten Hag has improved them, no question about it, there are still areas that need upgraded, with the centre-forward area a key priority.

The Old Trafford natives have been linked with Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane by ESPN’s Mark Ogden, and this would undoubtedly fix their goalscoring problem.

The Englishman has been tipped for a €100m (£90m) move to Bayern Munich in recent times and could be the new focal point for United and he would be a major upgrade on Anthony Martial.

Kane would be a Martial upgrade

The Frenchman has failed to live up to the hype since joining the club in 2015 and it surely won’t be long before Ten Hag moves the player on in order to bring someone else in.

This season, Martial has played just nine league matches, scoring three times, while Kane has 15 goals from 20 appearances at a rate of a goal every 119 minutes and this isn’t the only metric that the Spurs hitman comes out on top either.

This season, Kane has also registered more shots on target per match (1.56 to 0.98), generated more shot-creating actions (75 to nine), had more goal-creating actions (nine to four), and delivered more crosses (23 to three).

It’s evident who the better striker is and although a move this month might be slightly unrealistic, Ten Hag should be going all out in the summer to lure Kane to United on the premise that he can finally win a trophy, which has alluded him throughout his career.

Spurs teammate Heung-min Son once dubbed the 29-year-old as a “monster” and his stats clearly speak for themselves, having bagged 265 career goals for Spurs, he is at the peak of his powers right now and could score even more goals at United with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Antony, Bruno Fernandes, and Christian Eriksen all operating behind him.

Signing Kane could be the final piece of the jigsaw for the Dutchman and allow him to challenge for the Premier League title next season.

Tottenham Hotspur may have held discussions with other parties potentially interested in an investment opportunity amid the reports of the Qatar Sports Investments rumours.

What’s the latest?

The week started on the back of reports emerging on Sunday night of talks being held between Daniel Levy and Nasser Al-Khelaifi over a potential minority stake in the Lilywhites.

This had been suggested by the journalist Ben Jacobs who claimed QSI were interested in expanding their portfolio to the Premier League and had identified Spurs as a potential investment opportunity.

However, since those reports had emerged, Alasdair Gold had claimed the north London club had shut down the notion of these talks have taken place.

And now, the Spurs correspondent has suggested on his latest YouTube video that QSI may not be the only party that could potentially be interested in a possible opportunity that may arise in N17:

“I’ve kind of also heard some suggestions certainly from the other side of the table, the Qatar side of the table, that there’s a feeling that maybe Spurs perhaps there’s another couple of interested parties at their end; that maybe, Spurs have had some discussions with about investment in the club.

“Or interested parties, I should say rather than discussions, but if they’re interested, I’m sure there have been discussions.”

In high demand

The initial reports coming from Jacobs have suggested the Qatari investment fund could potentially be looking to take a percentage slightly lower than the 30% Levy could be willing to allow.

However, it was initially thought this could potentially be a one-horse race with QSI and they could have the freedom of offering Spurs the terms they wish for.

But on the back of Gold’s comments, it will be interesting to see whether – if these talks progress – it becomes a serious battle to secure a stake in the Premier League side.

These reports come amid frustration being vocalised by sections of the Spurs fanbase in recent games with some chants heard from the stands directed towards the Tottenham chairman.

The Lilywhites currently find themselves sat fifth in the Premier League table and are yet to bring in any new faces in the January transfer window.

And with the likes of Newcastle United soaring up the league table on the back of fresh investment in the club, perhaps Levy has realised the club may need to source external funding to continue progressing.

But going back to Gold’s comments, having more than just QSI potentially interested in an opportunity at Spurs can only be a good thing for the Lilywhites.

Having a financial superpower like QSI interested will be seen as a positive by many, but only having them interested could restrict Levy’s potential demands if he is to consider offering out a stake in the club.

On the contrary, if Spurs have multiple parties interested, it could be seen as a possible bargaining tool which Levy could use to his advantage.

West Bromwich Albion will be looking to continue their incredible recent form when they take on Preston North End at the Hawthorns on Thursday evening.

New manager bounces are to be expected but few would have predicted that Carlos Corberan would have such an incredible impact with the Baggies, winning six of his seven league games in charge of the club since taking over from Steve Bruce, who had left the Midlands club languishing in the relegation places.

After a late defeat against Coventry City, the Baggies bounced back with a promising 2-0 win against Bristol City on Boxing Day but with games coming thick and fast, changes are still likely for the game against playoff contenders Preston on Thursday.

Here is how Football FanCast expects Corberan to line his side up this evening, with three changes from the team that started at Ashton Gate last time out.

After another clean sheet last time out, Alex Palmer deservedly keeps his spot in between the sticks against Preston.

For the same reason, Corberan looks unlikely to make any changes in his defence, with the record of two goals conceded in the last seven games speaking for itself, so Darnell Furlong and Conor Townsend continuing at full-back, with Dara O’Shea and Erik Pieters in the middle.

Corberan has preferred a midfield duo of Jason Molumby and Okay Yokuslu in recent fixtures and he looks unlikely to break that partnership up as he looks to continue the Baggies’ resurgence in the second tier.

However, with the game being West Brom’s second in just four days, changes in the final third seem likely.

Tom Rogic came off the bench to provide the assist for Brandon Thomas-Asante’s brilliant goal against Bristol City, so he gets the nod in attacking midfield ahead of John Swift.

Jed Wallace keeps his place on the right wing but Grady Diangana could be handed a start on the left-hand side, with Matt Phillips earning a rest after his goal on Monday.

Finally, the “unbelievable” Daryl Dike, as labelled by former manager Valerian Ismael, should not be risked when considering his less-than-impressive injury record, so Thomas-Asante earns a start after his phenomenal chip against the Robins.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is keen on signing Real Madrid centre-back Nacho Fernández, with the club thought to be ‘very attentive’ to his current situation.

The Lowdown: Nacho on the move?

The 32-year-old has found himself on the periphery of things at Madrid in recent times, failing to earn regular playing time at the heart of their defence.

Nacho has only started once in La Liga so far this season, and with his current contract expiring at the end of this season, a fresh challenge could come his way.

It looks as though Villa could be in the mix to snap up the experienced Spaniard, following a new update.

The Latest: Emery keen on signing

According to reports in Spain [via Sport Witness], Emery has ‘always liked’ Nacho as a player, dating back to his time as Arsenal manager, and Villa are ‘very attentive’ to him.

Madrid are happy for him to leave at the end of the season, given his squad role at the club.

It’s perhaps no surprise the Villa boss is a big fan, as Nacho helped keep his Villarreal side out last season in two 0-0 draws.

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The Verdict: Great option for Villa

Nacho could be a really shrewd signing by Villa, as they look to add options at centre-back, following patchy performances by Tyrone Mings and a serious injury to Diego Carlos.

Granted, the Madrid man’s best days now may be behind him, but he is still young enough to enjoy a few years in the Premier League and his versatility is impressive, actually playing at full-back in both of those stalemates against Emery last season.

He has picked up a winning mentality during his time at Madrid, winning an incredible five Champions League titles, and that could rub off on Villa’s players, acting as another reason to sign him.

Aston Villa have been handed a fresh boost in their pursuit of Barcelona’s Franck Kessie.

What’s the latest?

As per Il Giorno, as quoted by Libero Quotidiano, the agent of the Ivorian is pushing for a move to England rather than back to AC Milan, who he left on a free transfer only in the summer.

The Villans are noted as his main suitors alongside Fulham and Watford, with the midfielder “already tired” of his lack of playtime at the Spotify Camp Nou.

Although Kessie himself might prefer a return to Italy, relations between the player and the Rossoneri hierarchy are somewhat soured given the manner of his initial exit.

This could provide the perfect opportunity for Unai Emery to sign a dream midfielder in January.

Mousa Dembele 2.0

Boasting a bulky 6-foot frame but a fleet-footedness with the ball at his feet, he naturally could draw comparisons with former Tottenham Hotspur maestro Mousa Dembele.

The Belgian earned praise for how he glided across the pitch, quietly getting through untold amounts of work, whilst offering plenty in handling the transitions.

Kessie’s offensive game definitely lives up to that of the 35-year-old, who only managed to score ten times during his 249 games for the Lilywhites.

During his title-winning season in the Italian capital, the £120k-per-week brute scored seven times whilst averaging an 88% pass accuracy and 1.3 tackles per game, via SofaScore.

Whilst his all-around game certainly could be compared, what truly suggests that the 25-year-old could emulate Dembele is the comments made by former Milan striker Antonio Cassano.

On his vast qualities, he stated: “I want Kessie in my team, he scores, he assists, he has personality, he has quality, he doesn’t lose the ball, he is intelligent.”

These are all attributes boasted by his counterpart, and likely what led to his 91st-place ranking in The Guardian’s top 100 footballers.

Dembele truly was a special footballer, with Premier League fans often coming together to marvel at the stranglehold he would silently have over games.

Boasting all the physical assets to achieve similar feats, Kessie could star under Emery should he take the plunge to join Villa Park.

Following a torrid run of form, and admittedly many seasons of mediocrity, Southampton have decided to call time on the Ralph Hasenhuttl era at the club.

Having won one of their last nine, the Austrian had led his side to the relegation zone with over a third of the Premier League season having been played.

It seemed a foregone conclusion that he would be sacked, and as is always the way it does not take long for the rumour mill to kick into gear.

Although Nathan Jones the most likely to be appointed after his success at Luton Town, perhaps his lack of top-flight experience could hinder him.

One report last month suggests that Dragan Solak might look to maintain the values upheld at the club but with a new manager, as Jesse Marsch denotes striking similarities with the recently departed manager.

It could be the perfect replacement, with both having graduated from the Red Bull school of thought to promote their philosophies in the Premier League, with varying success.

The American is admittedly enjoying a fine season thus far, having steered his side to 12th after overseeing a huge rebuild in the summer.

Having also steered Leeds United away from relegation last season, with their current position it could be the perfect move to bring him in early and hopefully avoid the late-season theatrics suffered at Elland Road.

Marsch and Hasenhuttl have actually endured similar careers, with RB Leipzig as their most recent job before moving to England.

The latter, however, only lasted in the job four months before agreeing to a mutual termination, with the German side having sat 11th in the Bundesliga. Before that, he excelled at RB Salzburg, where he won two leagues and two cups in just two seasons.

Despite being labelled a “strange coach” by journalist Josh Bunting, his unorthodox methods could be a refreshing change of pace for a side lacking any real creativity in the final third.

Should the Southampton hierarchy require a huge upturn in form, he could just be their man too. Despite losing his first two games in charge, a five-game unbeaten run surely aided them in surviving by just three points.

During his short time in Yorkshire, Marsch boasts 1.27 points per match, whilst in 151 Premier League games his competition only has 1.17.

Although it might not be a huge upgrade, his charisma and charm plus his slightly more forward-thinking philosophy could marry well with a side that has struggled for goals this season. Indeed, the Saints must surely consider the 48-year-old over Jones in the coming days.

Journalist Gregg Evans has responded angrily to the news that Douglas Luiz’s red card in Aston Villa’s defeat to Fulham has now been rescinded.

The Lowdown: Luiz’s red card rescinded

The Villans suffered a dire night at Craven Cottage on Thursday, losing 3-0 in their Premier League clash, leading to Steven Gerrard’s dismissal after the match.

Villa’s misery was compounded when Luiz – hailed as a “transformed” player by Gabby Agbonlahor earlier this year – was sent off for an apparent headbutt on Aleksandar Mitrovic following a VAR review, making life even harder for them on the night.

Since then, the Brazilian’s red card has been overturned, meaning that he will no longer face a suspension and is available to face Brentford on Sunday.

The Latest: Evans not impressed

Taking to Twitter, Evans was left perplexed by the news, in terms of the red card being shown at the time and ultimately costing Villa on the night.

In response to a clip from Sky Sports Premier League announcing the reversal of the decision, The Athletic journalist tweeted:

“Unbelievable. Get it right in the first place.”

The Verdict: Simply not good enough

This sums up the ineptitude and inconsistency of VAR, with the much-discussed technology surely in place to ensure that red cards never have to be rescinded.

Essentially, the decision to send Luiz off may have been the difference between Villa getting a result, and duly Gerrard losing or keeping his job, such are the fine margins of football.

Granted, he would still likely have been sacked given the vocal supporter unrest on the night, but rescinding a red card further down the line is only beneficial after a match, when it could – and should – happen during the game instead.

West Bromwich Albion have reportedly identified a potential successor to Steve Bruce already in ex-Middlesborough boss Chris Wilder, with the Midlands outfit seemingly interested in moving for the 55-year-old.

What’s the latest?

According to The Northern Echo, Wilder has emerged as an early favourite to replace Bruce in the Hawthorns hot seat.

Having had his contract at the Riverside terminated just last week, he remains a free agent with vast experience across the Championship and Premier League.

Football League World further supplemented those earlier claims, revealing that Wilder is indeed being considered by the Albion hierarchy.

The Baggies will hope to have someone in charge for this Saturday’s fixture at Reading, and due to his availability and aforementioned experience, it might make perfect sense.

The perfect Bruce heir?

Whilst there may be concern about appointing a coach who was only recently dismissed from this previous job, where he had his club sitting in a similarly poor position around West Brom, Wilder does have the pedigree to turn things around at the Hawthorns.

Most renowned for his performance at Sheffield United, where he led them from League One to a top-half Premier League finish, he will likely be remembered by Blades fans as a hero.

His performances were so impressive that he earned a huge fan in Jurgen Klopp. The German took every opportunity to praise Wilder when the two faced off, and following Liverpool’s narrow win over them in January 2020, he had the following to say:

“Before the game, I watched a story about where they have come from and it is a wonderful story, an amazing story, and I have so much admiration for them.”

He continued: “They have some very good players and clearly a very good manager… I said it before, I couldn’t respect Chris and his players more.”

Having cruised up to the Premier League in the 2018/19 season, where his team lost just nine games all season, his first year in the top flight captured plenty of imagination.

He would earn 54 points, finishing above the likes of Everton and Newcastle United, and just two points behind Arsenal.

This feat alone should be enough to convince Lai Guochuan that he can be the man to turn around Bruce’s mess, which has the Baggies sat in 22nd, having won just once this season.