Everton’s campaign has yet again been filled with misery, as last season’s fan favourite Frank Lampard struggled to convert his passion for the club into tangible results.

He was admittedly hung out to dry by the hierarchy at the club, but despite being handed the bulk of the £60m fee received for Richarlison to reinvest he failed to secure a viable replacement.

Last season the Brazilian hit double figures in the league as he dragged the Toffees to safety, but as they once again sit in the relegation zone as March approaches, there are few figures who are expected to stand up in a similar fashion.

Their loss against Aston Villa over the weekend was a particularly disappointing one, especially considering how they largely dominated the opening exchanges. Whilst there were few positives to take from the result, the performance of Dwight McNeil suggested that perhaps he could be the one to shoulder that burden.

The Lampard signing was creative and confident and looked a far cry from the shy wide man who looked beleaguered under the previous regime. Perhaps the reunion with old boss Sean Dyche could see him now become reborn as the new saviour at Goodison Park.

Can McNeil save Everton from relegation?

Whilst the 23-year-old has seldom excelled for his actual goals and assist output since bursting onto the scene at Burnley, what he offers is a constant threat and a wicked left-footed delivery that makes him a decisive asset.

Even journalist Andy Jones recognised him as a “special player” back in 2021 after he had scored a stunning winner, coincidentally against the Toffees.

Throughout Saturday’s match, he terrorised Matty Cash and had there been a striker in the right areas they would have feasted on the teasing balls McNeil was offering.

Boasting 67 touches, the winger recorded an impressive four key passes and was successful in six of his seven attempted dribbles. This was only further supplemented by his nine duels won and two tackles too, via Sofascore.

It was a typical workmanlike display from the former Clarets man, but this time he actually paired it with a cutting-edge in the final third. Finally, he seems to have struck the balance that Dyche had previously praised him for, as he once claimed he was: “recognising the opportunities to get wide and run forwards because when he does that he is a real threat.”

With two goals and two assists this season, it has hardly been a sparkling campaign for McNeil. But, should he find consistency with displays like that against Villa, he could prove an important factor in Everton’s survival.

The continued absence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin hurts the whole team, but arguably none more so than the £25k-per-week gem. His creativity craves a focal point, and should the hulking striker return, McNeil will surely become a huge catalyst in avoiding the drop.

The Athletic’s Jack Pitt-Brooke has insisted that Tottenham Hotspur players are no longer on Antonio Conte’s side.

The Lowdown: All falling apart at Tottenham

After what was another bore performance and amid some bizarre decisions from Conte, the Spurs fans didn’t hold back in showing their disgruntlement as they watched their side get dumped out of the Champions League having registered five shots on target across home and away ties against AC Milan.

The defeat didn’t just lead to a reaction from Spurs fans, however, as £60m striker Richarlison – who’s scored just two goals since joining last summer – came out firing post-match.

Richarlison ripped into Spurs and Conte for his management and the way he’s constantly left him on the bench this season, which appears to have given an insight into what looks like a fractured dressing room behind the scenes.

The Latest: Spurs players now against Conte

Writing after the game last night, Pitt-Brooke felt that the players no longer want Conte at the club, with the feeling seemingly mutual from the manager, who doesn’t want to be in N17 any longer.

He said: “As far as I can tell, he doesn’t want to be there, the players don’t want him to be there and the fans don’t want him to be there any more either. Does anyone gain anything by maintaining a pretence otherwise?”

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The Verdict: Time for Levy to make a change

Given Richarlison’s comments last night and the fact Conte quipped that the club may wish to sack him, it looks as though this is only going to end one way, and that’s with the two parting company.

However, according to Fabrizio Romano, there are no meetings planned between Conte and Tottenham until the end of the season, so it looks as though Daniel Levy is not eager to make yet another managerial change right now.

Though if this is how Richarlison is willing to speak about his manager to the media, it raises the question of what players are saying behind the scenes.

This can’t make for a great environment for the players going into training and matches, so a change and clean break from the Italian has to be seen as the most viable option for everyone involved.

Journalist Jacque Talbot has claimed on his YouTube channel that Newcastle United are keen on Portuguese ace Diogo Jota.

The Lowdown: PIF looking to make the next step

With Newcastle slowly losing their grip on the top four and Champions League football for next season, PIF will likely be analysing the transfer market and working with Eddie Howe to ensure there isn’t a similar story next year.

Therefore, bolstering what is a relatively thin squad in terms of quality outside of the starting XI is going to be crucial this summer if Newcastle are to kick on.

However, one link that has seemingly come out of nowhere is Newcastle’s interest in Liverpool star Jota, who’s recently recovered from a long-term injury and only just signed a new deal with the Reds last summer.

The Latest: Jota could cost around £60m

Given Newcastle’s struggles in front of goal this calendar year, recruiting Jota, who has 49 goal involvements in 99 games for Liverpool, would be stunning business – and Talbot believes PIF are indeed looking at the winger.

He said: “Diogo Jota, Newcastle quite like him which I was [quite] surprised about. He’d had a long-term injury, he signed a deal over the summer.

“That would be quite interesting. I don’t think much will happen on that front, I just think it’s quite interesting. It doesn’t mean Newcastle are going to get him.

“I did hear something like £60m or something like that.”

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The Verdict: Would be a major coup for Newcastle

Since getting his big-money move to Liverpool, Jota has gone on to prove himself to be a versatile and reliable goalscorer for the Reds, however, the more recent arrivals of players such as Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez may see his game time reduced significantly, despite Jurgen Klopp praising him publicly, labelling him ‘exceptional’ in recent weeks.

The Portugal international has proved he’s good enough to be a starting winger for any top-six side, and if Newcastle can guarantee him the minutes and sell him their project, we think it would make a lot of sense for both parties.

However, given he does still have a contract that runs until the summer of 2027, if Liverpool were willing to sell him for £60m, it would perhaps be quite a shock, but still something that the Magpies should indeed be sniffing around as he’d be a big upgrade on players such as Jacob Murphy, Ryan Fraser and Miguel Almiron, none of whom have reached the levels of the ex-Wolves man in the Premier League.

Journalist Charles Watts has hinted that Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah could be set for a prolonged spell on the sidelines with injury.

What's the latest on Eddie Nketiah?

The Englishman has missed Arsenal's last three games in all competitions, having been restricted to minutes from the bench in previous weeks as the club were concerned about a knock he had picked up.

There is now no official timeframe on his potential return, but with Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard both appearing against Fulham, Mikel Arteta will have options at his disposal even without the 23-year-old.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Watts claimed that there could be concerns over a possibly significant injury for Nketiah, and a quick return looks unlikely.

He said: "It's clearly a pretty significant injury that Eddie Nketiah's had. Arsenal, still, when you speak to people there, [say] hopefully he might be back after the international break, but certainly what Mikel's saying there, it feels like it's a little bit worse than some people at Arsenal have been letting on in terms of Nketiah's injury.

"Clearly if he's in a protective boot, he's nowhere near coming back to training, obviously, if he's still in that situation.

"The fact that Arteta said he's got a big challenge ahead of him, we'll wait and see exactly when Eddie's going to be back. But from those comments, you kind of think, I'm not sure immediately after the international break is going to be possible, but we shall wait and see."

How important has Nketiah been for Arsenal?

Arsenal were dealt a huge blow when Gabriel Jesus picked up a long-term injury during the World Cup, but this gave Nketiah a chance to deputise for the Brazilian.

Arteta's side were five points clear at the top of the league when Jesus picked up his injury. They are still top now over four months later, and that is in no small part thanks to Nketiah's efforts up front.

He has scored nine goals in all competitions this season, which included a stunning brace as Arsenal came from behind to beat Manchester United.

If Arsenal do go on to win their first Premier League title since 2004, then Nketiah's contribution must be acknowledged given the impressive way in which he has covered for Jesus and chipped in with goals going forward.

But it is clear that his participation for the remainder of the campaign is in doubt due to Jesus' return to fitness and some massive games on the horizon for the Gunners.

Leeds United boast a wealth of youth talent, many of whom have been handed their big break in the first team in recent years.

Marcelo Bielsa, Jesse Marsch and now Javi Gracia all have employed academy graduates, whilst acquired talent like Wilfried Gnonto also have earned acclaim for their sensational performances that belie their youth.

However, amongst all this academy production, one name has been somewhat pushed to the wayside despite his immense potential.

Cody Drameh was widely seen as one of the shining lights of the Whites' youth setup, with the expectance being that he would soon hold down their right-back spot for the foreseeable future.

However, having been shipped out on numerous loans and seemingly replaced in the market, his hype has died somewhat.

Given his sparkling displays during his current spell away from the club, he is surely playing his way back into contention, especially given the underperformance of his rivals in his role.

How is Cody Drameh playing at Luton Town?

The 21-year-old joined Luton Town in January as one of many questionable decisions made by Marsch, however, the young defender is currently proving why he boasts more than enough talent for a starting spot in a Premier League team.

This came almost exactly a year after he was handed his first loan, as he was sent to Cardiff City where he too was a big hit. Drameh would even win the young player and player of the season awards after just six months in the Welsh capital, an outstanding feat.

His boss at the time, Steve Morison, reserved special praise for the relentless dynamo, as he noted: "He is like a Duracell Bunny, isn't he? He just keeps going and going."

Meanwhile, this season Ayling has endured an average rating of 6.71, a slight depreciation from his supposed successor in Rasmus Kristensen. The Denmark international has only mustered a slightly improved 6.87 rating himself, marking both out as disappointments.

To compare this with their young counterpart, who has marked himself out as both an outstanding creative and defensive threat in the Championship, they will surely be fearing for their positions in the squad.

Drameh is earning a 7.11 average rating for the Hatters, where he is recoding 1.8 key passes alongside 3.3 tackles and 2.0 clearances per 90, via Sofascore.

He is the standout with regard to form, and his youth makes him a thrilling prospect that would surely get fans excited too. Should Gracia keep the Yorkshire outfit up and retain his place in the dugout, his first port of call next season must be to ditch Ayling for the sensational youngster who has earned his big chance.

Celtic ‘should elaborate’ further on the injury to defender Greg Taylor, according to Scotland manager Steve Clarke.

The Lowdown: International omission

The Hoops left-back was noticeably missing from the matchday squad for the 3-1 Scottish Premiership victory over Hearts last week, causing initial concern among supporters.

Ange Postecoglou later put minds at ease during his post-match interview by revealing that the 25-year-old simply wasn’t risked due to feeling soreness in training:

“Greg should be fine. No problem, he probably could’ve played tonight at a stretch but we just thought we’d be a bit cautious there.”

However, it would appear that he’s still not over his problem…

The Hampden Park international boss has omitted the star from his Scotland squad for the European Championship qualifiers against Cyprus and Spain later this month.

The Latest: Clarke’s comments

Speaking after the squad announcement, Clarke confirmed that he’d spoken to Taylor about his decision and urged Celtic to lift the lid on exactly what his situation is. He said:

“I have had a chat with Greg. It is really a Celtic issue, more than for me to comment on. He is carrying a little injury.

“He will probably benefit from a rest rather than coming away with the national team. Celtic should elaborate on that a little bit.”

The Verdict: Fast recovery needed

Taylor has become a regular feature under Postecoglou and the Celtic boss will be hoping that he overcomes his injury as soon as possible to continue helping the team.

The Bhoys defender has posted 18 assists and five goals in 117 appearances since joining, and it’s fair to say he’s enjoying a mightily impressive season.

The Greenock-born talent currently ranks in the 97th percentile for most progressive passes and is averaging 1.3 key passes per league game, which has seen him bag four man-of-the-match awards (WhoScored).

The left-footed ace also offers versatility with his ability to operate in five different positions, including higher up in the midfield and on the opposite flank, making him a useful option for the manager to have at his disposal.

The Australian previously publicly praised Taylor for his individual contribution to the side and has backed him to carry on performing at a high level:

“I can’t talk about before I got here, but since I’ve been here, he’s really embraced the challenge of being a key part of this team.

“Obviously, the way we play is a little bit different, I think he’s embraced that, and he’s continuing to improve.”

Manchester United marched into the Europa League quarter-finals after overcoming a spirited Real Betis side in Seville on Thursday evening, with the Red Devils securing a narrow, 1-0 victory to clinch a 5-1 aggregate scoreline in the tie.

Despite having gone into the second-leg clash with a commanding lead following the meeting at Old Trafford a week ago, United looked far from convincing in the opening exchanges this time around, having been left thankful for some errant finishing from Manuel Pellegrini's men.

With the La Liga side still holding a shred of hope of getting back into the contest heading in at the break, man of the moment Marcus Rashford subsequently extinguished that belief with a stunning finish just before the hour mark, with the Englishman netting his 27th goal of the season in style.

That was to prove the end of the drama, in truth, as the Premier League giants comfortably saw out the closing stages, albeit with Erik ten Hag likely to have been frustrated by the at times nervous and erratic nature of his side's display.

While not an overwhelming night of positives, one shining light was that of Uruguayan starlet, Facundo Pellistri, with the 21-year-old more than taking his chance on what was just his first start for the club.

The eye-catching winger – who was making just his seventh appearance for the club since signing back in 2020 – showed real bravery in his play as he attempted to make things happen for the visitors, notably completing three of his five dribbles, while also winning six duels on the night.

Aside from what was a frankly "ridiculous" early booking for the youngster – in the words of 90min's Scott Saunders – it was an encouraging, rare run out for the former Penarol gem, with the hope being that he can now capitalise on the unfortunate injury blow to fellow forward, Alejandro Garnacho.

Pellistri was, however, not the only asset who took the opportunity to impress on the night, with summer signing Tyrell Malacia – who was one of four changes from the weekend draw with Southampton – producing a composed and dogged display at left-back.

How did Malacia perform against Betis?

After overcoming a 'panicky' opening – as per Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst – the diminutive Dutchman truly grew into the game and became a real, effective presence at both ends of the pitch, having showcased that he will not give usual starter, Luke Shaw an easy ride in the battle for the full-back berth.

The former Feyenoord ace was a real outlet down the left flank as he notably completed three of his four dribbles and enjoyed an 87% pass accuracy rate from his 81 touches, having also won three fouls for his side to help relieve the pressure.

The 5 foot 7 "pitbull" – as previously described by ex-Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal – was a typically tenacious and relentless presence defensively as he won an impressive eight ground duels on the night.

While it was a far from perfect display, as the 23-year-old also lost possession on 11 occasions, Malacia did prove that he is a more than capable understudy for Shaw moving forward, with the left-back role seemingly one area that Ten Hag can comfortably rotate without seeing a drop off in quality.

Such competition is no doubt healthy amid what has been and will continue to be a hectic and breathless season for the resurgent outfit.

Journalist Julien Laurens has heaped praise on ‘genius’ manager Will Still amid claims West Ham United want him to replace David Moyes.

The Lowdown: Moyes under-pressure…

The Scotsman has found himself under consistent pressure this Premier League campaign after failing to build upon West Ham’s two successful previous seasons.

Moyes lead his side to back-to-back European qualification campaigns in the build up to this season but have ultimately underachieved after a summer of heavy spending.

West Ham put pen to paper on deals for Alphonse Areola, Nayef Aguerd, Flynn Downes, Gianluca Scamacca, Maxwel Cornet, Thilo Kehrer, Emerson Palmieri and club record signing Lucas Paqueta last year but find themselves in the drop zone.

18th and battling relegation to the Championship, there has been plenty of talk as to who could replace Moyes if West Ham eventually decide to part company.

Still, who has been doing a phenomenal job with Reims this season, is reportedly attracting interest from the east Londoners.

The Latest: Laurens hails Still…

Speaking on Sky Sports (via Football Daily), reporter Laurens has heaped praise on the 30-year-old after claims West Ham want him.

The journalist says Still is a ‘bit of a genius’ and his Ligue 1 rise is nothing short of ‘huge’ and ‘remarkable’.

When asked about Still’s journey, Laurens explained:

“Huge, really, the story of course. For someone so young to show so much maturity, tactically to start with, cause he’s a bit of a genius tactically, but also in his man-management with the players, again, with some of them being older than him, is remarkable.

“He’s got an incredible future ahead of him, there’s no doubt.”

Laurens went on to comment on the links to West Ham, believing that while be may not be ready for such a big job, what he has showed so far is ‘incredible’.

The Verdict: Exciting manager…

The young tactician recently went on a Ligue 1 record 17-game unbeaten run recently, propelling his name into the headlines and making supporters take real notice.

If West Ham wish to turn to Still after Moyes, they could be boosted by the fact he is more-than open to managing in England one day.

“Being English and growing up in an English environment in Belgium, England has always felt like home and a place that I’d love to go back to,” said Still (via Sky).

“It would feel like coming home, just because the English culture is part of me, part of my roots, part of my family, part of who I am.

“I think if you asked any kid what they would like to do, they’d say they’d love to be a Premier League footballer or manager and I’m no different. I was brought up like everyone else and had the same dreams. I’ll keep at them.”

Aston Villa target Kieran Tierney could be allowed to leave Arsenal this summer after face-to-face talks with Mikel Arteta, according to reporter Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Villa interest

Reports in the week linked Villa with an interest in Tierney, with Football Insider saying that Arsenal could green-light a summer sale and value the player at £30m.

Tierney has dropped down the pecking order under Arteta this season following Oleksandr Zinchenko’s arrival, with the majority of his minutes coming in the Europa League.

Villa could be willing to sell Lucas Digne to make room for the Scot, with Unai Emery already bringing in Alex Moreno back in January.

The Latest: Jacobs’ comments

Jacobs was talking to TEAMtalk regarding Tierney and his future in London. The reporter said that the player has held talks with Arteta and is still valued with the Gunners.

“My understanding with Tierney is that he held face to face talks with Arteta to try and better understand his future and was really just told to fight for his place and that he’s still valued.”

However, he went on to say “there is a very realistic possibility that he leaves if the right offer comes in over the course of the summer.”

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The Verdict: Gamble?

Tierney, described as a ‘warrior’ by Ashley Cole, has struggled for minutes this season, but when he has been on the pitch in the Premier League, he hasn’t impressed statistically, as per WhoScored. The Scot has a top-flight match average of 6.24/10, a lower score than both Digne and Moreno.

Therefore, an expensive £30m move could be seen as a gamble by some, but with Pete O’Rourke believing Emery may not trust Digne, a new left-back could be on the agenda in the Midlands this summer, meaning Tierney could be a name to keep an eye on, especially following Jacobs’ comments.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte’s job is now ‘completely untenable’ as a result of his rant in the press conference following the 3-3 draw against Southampton, according to journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke.

The Lowdown: Scathing attack

After his side threw away a 3-1 lead to draw against a struggling Southampton side yesterday, Conte launched a scathing attack on his players, branding them ‘selfish’ and unwilling to ‘help each other’.

The Italian claimed the disappointing result was the ‘last straw’, while also appearing to take a swipe at the Tottenham ownership, saying: “Tottenham’s story is this – 20 years there is this owner and they never won something. Why?”

After the bombshell press conference, there has been speculation about the manager’s future at the club, with talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor insisting Daniel Levy needs to sack him as he ‘doesn’t want to be there anymore.’

The Latest: Pitt-Brooke reacts

Taking to Twitter to react to Conte’s comments to the press, Pitt Brooke said: “Never seen anything like that Antonio Conte press conference just now. 10 minutes of trying to take everyone else down with him. It was such an amazing performance you almost had to admire it.”

The Athletic journalist later added: “I don’t see how Conte can plausibly make it to Goodison Park on 3 April after this. He has made his own job completely untenable.”

The Verdict: Conte must go

The 53-year-old made a few very good points during his explosive rant, particularly in his criticism of the Spurs hierarchy being unable to compete for major trophies since taking over the club in 2001, which indicates a serious problem at board level.

This group of players has also let down far too many managers, with Conte, who has won nine trophies in his managerial career, becoming the latest coach unable to get a tune out of this Tottenham squad, with serial winner Jose Mourinho also struggling.

That said, it could be very weak of the Spurs board to allow the former Juventus boss to continue after so openly criticising his higher-ups, while he may have also damaged his relationship with some of the players after his heavy criticism.

Tottenham have been presented with an opportune time to part with Conte, given that we are now heading into an international break, and it could be wise to part ways with the manager, as keeping him will likely do them no favours in their push to finish in the top four.