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Former top-flight referee Dermot Gallagher has dropped his verdict on one particular incident which took place during Tottenham Hotspur’s recent 4-3 win over Leeds United in the Premier League. 

The Lowdown: Spurs vs Leeds

With Leeds having taken the lead through Rodrigo, Harry Kane scored an equaliser to level the game at 1-1. However, the away side claimed that Spurs defender Clement Lenglet had fouled goalkeeper Illan Meslier in the build-up, but the goal stood.

Gallagher has since shared his thoughts on the incident and what he feels should have happened.

The Latest: Gallagher’s verdict

Speaking on Sky Sports’ latest edition of Ref Watch, Gallagher had his say about the incident involving Lenglet and Meslier which led to Kane’s goal.

He stated: “I think Lenglet clearly fouls the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper’s in the air, he’s gone to play the ball and Lenglet goes into him. I think Tottenham are very lucky to have a goal.

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“That’s so out of kilter with what we see week-in, week-out. We have this suggestion that goalkeepers are over-protected – well, he wasn’t there.

“I was surprised it was no foul. I can only presume the referee has fed back to the VAR what he has seen, the VAR has looked at it and come to the conclusion it’s not a clear and obvious error.”The Verdict: A lucky break for Spurs?Judging by what Gallagher said on the matter, it seems that Spurs got lucky with the decision to not give the suspected foul on Meslier in the lead up to Kane’s equaliser.Bearing in mind how Antonio Conte’s side ended up winning that breathtaking match, though, Gallagher’s opinion will not matter much to many Spurs fans. However, had the outcome been different, this incident may have been something that Tottenham supporters would have viewed as a questionable decision.Given how close the game was, irrespective of refereeing decisions, everyone at the north London club will be hoping that their remaining Premier League games will not be quite as dramatic, with Conte’s men coming from behind three times last Saturday before eventually claiming victory.

West Ham United could be set to dip into the market for another forward this January…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to the Italian publication TuttoMercatoWeb, which states that Atalanta will listen to offers for Duvan Zapata and Luis Muriel in an effort to revolutionise their attack.

This news will be of particular interest to David Sullivan, as the Hammers failed in a late bid to sign the former Colombian back in January.

Having agreed to terms and submitted a deal sheet, they simply ran out of time as the window slammed shut. Now, a year on, they could reignite their interest in the man who was reportedly valued at €55m (£48m) in the summer.

He’s the perfect Antonio heir

Standing at 6 foot 1 and boasting a huge physical frame, it is easy to draw comparisons between Zapata and Michail Antonio.

The Jamaican international has excelled in east London since his 2015 move, having played everywhere on the pitch before settling up front.

There, he has managed to score 66 times and assist a further 41, wreaking havoc against Premier League defences with his continued pressing and unrelenting physicality.

With Gianluca Scamacca somewhat faltering since his summer transfer, perhaps adding a more experienced forward who can provide a steady stream of goals might be a smart move for David Moyes.

Although he has underperformed somewhat this season, Zapata too has been a consistent goalscorer during his time in Italy.

Just last season he scored 13 times and assisted seven, and during his career for the Bergamo-based club has scored 80 times.

Any reservations regarding his ability to translate his proficiency to the Premier League are somewhat alleviated through his Champions League display against Manchester United at the start of last campaign, where he bullied their defence on his way to scoring and assisting in a 2-2 draw.

The notion from his old teammate Papu Gomez only acts to further liken him to Antonio, as the Argentine had the following to say about the 31-year-old: “Zapata’s shorts look like underwear, he is so big. Sometimes I don’t even want to get close to him in a match because he’s a beast and it hurts. 

“When he is feeling good he’s like a train – you throw the ball forward and ‘ciao!’”

With one physical animal seemingly coming to the end of his career at the London Stadium, perhaps Moyes could look to bring in another who can take his place whilst Scamacca continues to acclimatise.

Sean Dyche is reportedly ‘very keen’ on taking the manager job at Glasgow Rangers.

The Lowdown: Contact made

The Ibrox outfit have reportedly made contact with Dyche over potentially taking over from the departed Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

They confirmed that the Dutchman had left on Tuesday, with the search for a new manager already underway.

The Latest: Dyche ‘very keen’

As per Football Insider, Dyche is ‘very keen’ to talk to the Gers over their vacant manager’s position, and wants to get back into management.

The Englishman ‘ticks many boxes’ for the club, as he is proven both in the English Premier League and Championship.

The fact that he is also available and not attached to a club would also alleviate the need to pay compensation costs.

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The Verdict: No-brainer

Given that Dyche is out of a job at the moment, it is surely a no-brainer for the Light Blues to go and snap him up.

Hailed as doing a ‘fantastic’ job at previous club at Burnley, and a would-be ‘stunning’ appointment by the Teddy Bears by former Scottish Premiership striker Noel Whelan, the 51-year-old would certainly come with an impressive CV.

Dyche kept Burnley in the English top flight for five straight seasons, including a remarkable seventh-placed finish in the 2017/18 campaign, and also won promotion with them twice while they were in the Championship (Transfermarkt).

He also has links with sporting director Ross Wilson from during their time at Watford, and so can build that strong relationship with the board straight away going into the January transfer window.

Liverpool are undergoing a transitional season by all accounts this term, winning just six Premier League matches as Jurgen Klopp has seen injuries and a lack of consistency damage his side’s title ambitions.

The German will have been paying close attention to the World Cup, especially with transfer targets Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice starring for England.

It is the Argentinian midfielder Enzo Fernandez that Klopp should really be keeping an eye on however, as the youngster has shone for his country in Qatar and according to Portuguese outlet Record (via Sport Witness), Liverpool are one of the clubs keeping a close eye on the player ahead of the January transfer window.

The report does state that any club wishing to sign Fernandez must pay his full €120m (£104m) release clause and this may prove to be too much for the Reds next month.

The midfielder has been an integral part of the Argentina side as they managed to brush off an opening defeat to Saudi Arabia to qualify for the last 16. The 21-year-old has played in all three matches, averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.30/10, which ranks him third in the squad.

He has proven to be an excellent attacking threat from the heart of the midfield, succeeding with 100% of his dribble attempts, scoring once, and also grabbing an assist, while making 0.7 key passes per match.

The youngster has also shown maturity beyond his years to help his side defensively, making 1.3 tackles per game while winning an impressive 71% of his total duels and he will be vital for the South American side as they aim to win the competition for the first time since 1986.

Former La Albiceleste star Pablo Zabaleta dubbed Fernandez as “one of the best players for Argentina” while speaking on BBC’s coverage and Joe Cole labelled him as “perfect for this team” on ITV following their 2-0 win over Mexico.

Fernandez’s club form this season proves his World Cup exploits are no fluke, with the player averaging a rating of 7.51/10 for his league performances while chipping in with four goal contributions and creating a further eight big chances.

He won’t remain in Portugal for long, that’s for sure, and despite a January move looking out of the question, Klopp will be keeping an eye on the midfielder ahead of next summer.

Manchester United are in contact with the camp of Rangers youngster Jack Wylie, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Premier League interest

Wylie is just 15 years of age but already seems to be catching the eye of a number of Premier League clubs.

Fabrizio Romano claimed in October that up to five English top-flight outfit were following the player he called a ‘top talent’, with reports elsewhere suggesting that Arsenal and Leeds United were eyeing a move for the full-back.

An update on Wylie has once again name-checked the Gunners and the Whites, along with Manchester United.

The Latest: Man United join race for Wylie

Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke provided new information regarding Wylie on Friday, claiming that Rangers are ‘rolling out the red carpet’ to try and convince the youngster that he should stay put at Ibrox.

He added that Manchester United, along with Arsenal and Leeds, have ‘registered their interest’ and are in ‘dialogue with the player’s camp’.

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The Verdict: Future star?

Wylie will turn 16 in January, when the likes of United could look to launch a move for him.

He appears to be a star of the future, with plenty of clubs keen on his services, so a move to Old Trafford in 2023 could be looked back upon in years to come as a wise decision.

The Red Devils missed out on signing England star Jude Bellingham when he was just 16 years of age back in 2020, something which must still be hurting United officials to this day, so they may look to wrap up a move for Wylie in 2023 if they see big potential in the Rangers gem.

Liverpool have made contact to sign Valencia midfielder Yunus Musah in 2023, according to reports this week.

The Lowdown: Musah stars for USA

The American has recently been in Qatar having been named in Gregg Berhalter’s 26-man squad for the World Cup, but that hasn’t stopped speculation surrounding his club future at the Mestalla Stadium.

Premier League club Arsenal have been monitoring him for the past three years, and with his current contract, which expires in 2026, having a €100m (£86m) release clause included, two more clubs have joined the race for his signature.

The Latest: Liverpool make enquiry

According to 90min, Liverpool and Chelsea have both ‘made contact’ with Musah’s representatives to ‘register their interest’ in a potential move next year.

Reds scouts have ‘identified’ the 20-year-old as a ‘transfer target’, though Valencia are ‘relaxed’ about his future and are likely to demand a ‘significant fee’ to even consider letting him leave.

The Spanish giants have therefore ‘opened contract talks’ in a bid to ‘fend off’ interest and keep him in La Liga, where he is seen as a ‘key part’ of Gennaro Gattuso’s plans.

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The Verdict: Keita replacement?

Liverpool are reportedly willing to allow Naby Keita to depart for free next summer, and Musah could be the perfect replacement should he leave Anfield.

The New York native, dubbed an ‘elite engine’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig, already has three goal contributions to his name this season and has the ability to operate in four different central positions (WhoScored).

FSG splashing big-money on a player so young could be a risk, but given Valencia’s financial orders, putting the cash on the table might be the only way to land him ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Glasgow Rangers could be set for a mass exodus of players at the end of the season unless Michael Beale and Ross Wilson start work on offering new deals to certain players.

The Ibrox club have no fewer than eight first-team players out of contract next year, and although a few of those will be released, the likes of Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos need to be tied down as soon as possible.

Beale will be able to ditch Steven Davis as his contract is due to expire, and he could replace the veteran Northern Ireland stalwart with a January move for Algerian midfielder Ahmed Kendouci.

The Premiership giants have been linked with a move for the 23-year-old next month, and according to Mark McDougall of Football Scotland, the Ibrox club have “made contact” already over the player.

A loan move is thought to be the most likely option, and it could be an exciting move for Beale.

The player – who features for ES Setif in his homeland – has registered 41 goal contributions in just 107 matches for his club, and it certainly appears that the next stage in his development lies elsewhere.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig described the Algerian as “elegant” and the “complete midfielder”, and having a player like this in the team would help with the manager’s new tactical setup.

Furthermore, it would also grant Beale the licence to ditch Davis, with the veteran’s influence waning amid a series of poor performances this term.

The 37-year-old signed a one-year contract extension at the end of last season, but it appears to have been a move done based on sentiment rather than on-field value.

The Northern Irishman has been out of his depth in the Champions League, achieving a Sofascore rating of just 6.58/10, completing a mere 18.2 passes per match and only taking 27.4 touches per game across his five matches in the competition.

Journalist Calum McClurkin even took to Twitter following Rangers’ 3-1 defeat to Ajax to voice his criticism of Davis, saying: “Steven Davis towing a caravan in midfield. Just too over the hill at this level. Patched-up defence simply can’t cope. Rangers decimated with injuries but the summer transfer window has left them woefully ill-equipped for Champions League group stage football.”

Davis has been an excellent servant to the club, winning a host of honours during his two spells at Rangers, but it is now time to move him on and bring in fresh, younger talent who can grow and develop at Ibrox.

Kendouci looks an excellent prospect and Beale should be doing everything that he can to secure the Algerian midfielder on loan in January.

Wolverhampton Wanderers progressed to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup with a 2-0 win against Gillingham on Tuesday night, but journalist Liam Keen was left disappointed with the performance of Diego Costa.

The Lowdown: Wolves progress

Julen Lopetegui started with a win in his first game in charge as Wolves manager, but while the 2-0 scoreline looks fairly comfortable on paper, his side left it late against the League Two outfit.

With a little less than 15 minutes to go, the Old Gold opened the scoring courtesy of a Raul Jimenez penalty, following a foul on Hwang Hee-Chan, before Rayan Ait Nouri added a second in stoppage time.

The Latest: Costa criticised

Taking to Twitter prior to Jimenez being brought on as a substitute, Keen criticised Costa for his all-round game, with the striker failing to have any impact on the match:

“Raul Jimenez getting ready to come on. Really need him, Costa has offered nothing.”

The Verdict: Another poor display

The Spaniard is yet to score a goal for Wolves, having now made seven appearances in all competitions this season, and his performance against a side three divisions lower in the pyramid will have caused particular concern.

In a very poor showing, the forward managed just 32 touches of the ball before being substituted with a little less than ten minutes to spare, the lowest amount amassed by any outfield player who started the match for Wolves. He also completed just 19 passes and didn’t win a single ground duel.

Although he is now 34, and not expected to be at the same level he was at Chelsea, the £62k-per-week earner’s latest poor display was particularly subpar, missing one big chance and giving the ball away on five occasions.

If Lopetegui chooses to start Costa away at Everton on Boxing Day, there is no doubt that he will need to put in a much improved performance.

West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice is now ‘pretty set’ on leaving the club, according to transfer expert Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Rice’s West Ham future

The 23-year-old has long been linked with a move away from the Irons, but Chelsea are now said to have the edge in the race for his signature, given his previous affiliation with the club.

The same report from The Athletic also claims that Manchester City and Manchester United have both registered their interest, so there will be no shortage of Premier League options for the Englishman should he choose not to extend his stay at the London Stadium.

The Latest: Rice ‘pretty set’ on leaving West Ham

It appears as though the 23-year-old not committing his future to West Ham is now the likely scenario, judging by Jones’ most recent comments to GIVEMESPORT.

When asked whether some Premier League clubs now being interested in Sofyan Amrabat could help the Irons hold onto Rice, the journalist replied:“I don’t think so, no. Rice is pretty set, from what I hear from other people, on leaving West Ham no matter what happens. I don’t see much that could happen at other clubs or at West Ham that could change his mind.”

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The Verdict: Blow for West Ham

It is no secret just how vital the midfielder is for David Moyes’ side, having averaged a 7.19 SofaScore rating in the Premier League last season, the highest of any player in the West Ham squad.

Despite the Hammers’ poor start to the campaign, Rice has gotten better, as indicated by a 7.27 SofaScore rating this term, with his all-round game a cut above the other players at the London Stadium.

An average pass completion rate of 90.2% over the past year places him in the 95th percentile compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, while he has also weighed in with 1.84 interceptions per 90, which sees him rank in the 93rd percentile.

Losing a player of this significance would be a huge blow for West Ham, but given that he is contracted until 2024 – with the option for an extra year – the saving grace is that they will be able to hold out for an astronomical transfer fee.

Liverpool will host Leicester City at Anfield tonight and Jurgen Klopp will be hoping that his team can continue their current form after picking up their third consecutive win against Aston Villa on Boxing Day.

Indeed, the Reds haven’t had the best start to their Premier League season after several inconsistent performances which has left the side sixth in the league table at present.

Klopp has been given a boost ahead of the clash with James Maddison set to be sidelined with a knee injury for the fixture, meaning his defenders won’t have to keep one of the most in-form players in the top flight quiet.

The Foxes have also suffered a tumultuous start to their season too and have even spent time in the relegation zone over their first 16 outings so far and after a loss to Newcastle United this week, Klopp will be hoping his team can capitalise on Leicester’s poor form.

As a result, the Liverpool boss could unleash one of his youth prospects in the starting eleven following his explosive substitution appearance in the final moments of the game at Villa Park earlier this week, with Stefan Bajcetic netting the third and final goal of the game for the Reds.

The 18-year-old midfielder has been enjoying glimpses of first-team action after impressing the German coach with his performances in the U21s and now that Liverpool are struggling to dominate games in the centre of the pitch, the talented teenager could earn a starting spot to terrify Brendan Rodgers this evening.

Over his 11-minute appearance in the Premier League earlier this week, Bajcetic – who was dubbed “cheeky as hell” by Klopp – scored one goal, won one tackle, completed one interception, and one clearance, on top of 100%. completed dribbles and 50% of duels won.

With that being said, it is surely a no-brainer for Klopp to reward Bajcetic with a spot in the starting eleven this evening as a fresh perspective in the centre of the pitch could be exactly what Liverpool needs to see the game out comfortably and provide some unpredictability in the heart of the team.