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Everton picked up their first win of the Premier League season with a battling 1-0 triumph against West Ham at Goodison Park on Sunday.

Neal Maupay’s second-half goal was enough for the Toffees to seal the win as they shot up the Premier League table ahead of the international break.

While the recent addition from Brighton will grab the headlines after his first goal for Everton, it was another summer signing who was arguably Lampard’s real hero against the Hammers.

James Tarkowski, who joined on a free transfer after leaving relegated Burnley, was in imperious form for the Toffees as they earned a second consecutive clean sheet of the campaign.

As per SofaScore, the centre-back would earn a superb 7.8/10 rating for his performance, which was the second best of any player on the pitch, with only goalkeeper Asmir Begovic rated higher.

During the game, Tarkowski contributed a remarkable nine clearances and blocked five shots, which was comfortably the most of any player on the pitch.

It was also an improvement on Tarkowski’s season average of six clearances and 2.1 blocked shots per game, which emphasises that he was well and truly on top of his game on Sunday afternoon.

The former Burnley man also impressed with his passing against the Hammers, completing 42/49 of his passes with a success rate of 86%, which again was an improvement on his performances from so far this season.

The 29-year-old’s average pass success rate has been 79.1%, which proves that he was much more reliable on the ball on Sunday afternoon, which again was vital as Everton saw out the victory.

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While the Hammers were limited on chances in front of goal, Jarrod Bowen might have equalised if not for Tarkowski, as he importantly blocked the England winger’s goalbound shot in the second half.

The former Burnley man earned plenty of praise for his performance, with the defender earning an 8/10 match rating from the Liverpool Echo’s Chris Beesley, with the reporter stating of his display: “Everton’s rock at the back, he helped steady the ship and get his captain Coady out of jail after he trod on the ball and made several timely interceptions.”

The centre-back, who was dubbed “outstanding” by Sean Dyche, has enjoyed an excellent start to his Everton career and more performances like the one against West Ham will surely be vital in the Toffees staying well clear of relegation this season.

The Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope has revealed that Everton are ‘preparing to match’ the offer made by Newcastle United for Joao Pedro.

The Lowdown: Newcastle offer

Sky Sports journalist and North East correspondent Keith Downie reported on Tuesday morning that the St. James’ Park outfit have made a new bid for Pedro worth in the region of £30m, including add-ons.

Watford are thought to be considering the offer, and talks are ongoing between the two clubs over a potential deal to take him to Tyneside.

The Latest: Everton hijack?

Taking to Twitter, Hope has revealed that the Toffees are now ‘preparing to match’ the Magpies’ offer for Pedro:

“Understand Everton are preparing to match Newcastle’s offer for Watford forward Joao Pedro.”

The Verdict: Get it done

Given the injury to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and the fact that Salomon Rondon is struggling to perform, the Merseyside club desperately need to bring in a new striker as soon as possible.

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Hailed as an ‘exciting‘ player by his former Watford boss Xisco Munoz, 20-year-old Pedro is already off the mark for the Hornets this term, and has a total of 14 goals for his club over the last three seasons.

Eddie Howe’s side have agreed to sign striker Alexander Isak from Real Sociedad, and so may be less inclined to go for Pedro now, which could well open the door for the Blues to make their swoop.

According to recent reports, Newcastle United’s reported interest in Leicester City playmaker James Maddison could see goalkeeper Martin Dubravka head in the other direction.

What’s the word?

As per the Daily Mail, the Slovakia international could potentially be used as part of a swap deal to land the Foxes midfielder, with Brendan Rodgers’ side believed to have ‘shown an interest’ in the 33-year-old this summer.

The report outlines how the Magpies had seen a bid in the region of £40m rejected for the England international, with further reports outlining that a subsequent £50m offer has also been rebuffed, with the Midlands side holding out for around £60m for the 25-year-old.

Dubravka’s inclusion could then prove crucial in reaching an agreement between the two clubs – amid Financial Fair Play restrictions for the northeast side – with Leicester seemingly eyeing a replacement for Kasper Schmeichel, following the Dane’s surprise switch to Ligue 1 side Nice.

Howe can rid himself of Dubravka

The use of the Newcastle stopper in the deal could well then be of great use to both parties, with Rodgers and co getting a Premier League-ready solution to help fill their goalkeeping void, while the Tynesiders will be able to rid themselves of a player who could well be surplus to requirements this summer.

The St James’ Park outfit have acted to bring in former Burnley colossus Nick Pope so far this summer, with the indication being that the 30-year-old will be manager Eddie Howe’s first-choice option this season.

With Karl Darlow and Mark Gillespie also in reserve, the former Bournemouth boss already has plenty of depth in his goalkeeping ranks, with it set to be no real setback if Dubravka is to be moved on before the September deadline.

While the former Sparta Prague man – who arrived in England on an initial loan deal four and a half years ago – did make 26 top-flight appearances last term, the £44k-per-week dud came in for criticism for his performances on occasion, with pundit Tim Sherwood labelling him “poor” following a mistake against Brighton last season.

His exit will also prove no real loss if it does lead to the arrival of the aforementioned Maddison, with the former Norwich City star undoubtedly set to be a major acquisition for the ambitious club if a deal can be struck.

Once labelled “world-class” by Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate for his set-piece quality, the £45m-rated ace has proven himself to be a hugely influential attacking force at the King Power Stadium in recent times, notably enjoying a particularly profitable 2021/22 campaign.

That stellar season on a personal note saw the one-cap gem net 12 goals and provide eight assists in 35 games across all competitions, while further showcasing his creative prowess by averaging 1.4 key passes per game.

That stunning form unsurprisingly saw the Coventry-born superstar record a hugely impressive average match rating of 7.32, as per SofaScore, with that figure higher than every member of the Newcastle squad last season bar Kieran Tripper – albeit with the latter man making just six top-flight appearances due to injury.

That illustrates just what vital figure Maddison can be for Howe’s side for the forthcoming season, with there unlikely to be few tears shed if Dubravka is to be used to get the deal over the line.

Arsenal could hold an interest in Leroy Sane this summer transfer window…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Express journalist Ryan Taylor, who claims that the Bayern Munich winger is a realistic target for the Gunners as they look to bolster Mikel Arteta’s wide options.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT this week, he said:

“Sane is an interesting one because we haven’t seen the same Sane we saw at City at Bayern, so whether that means he could become available, I don’t know.

“It would be fair to assume Arsenal would be interested in a player of his quality, he’s world-class on his day and he’s Premier League proven, so I do think he’s the kind of player they’ll be looking at, but nothing concrete at the moment as far as I’m aware.”

Earlier this month, CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs also revealed that the 26-year-old was a target for Arsenal before they tried to sign Raphinha from Leeds United.

Arteta can forget Raphinha

A move for Sane, who cost Bayern around £55m, could certainly make sense for the north London giants this window, though technical director Edu Gaspar will need to act quick as we’re less than five weeks away from deadline day.

Given his past experience in the Premier League with Manchester City, where he won two titles, the Germany international could be the perfect alternative to Raphinha, who instead sealed his dream move to LaLiga outfit Barcelona.

During his four years at the Etihad Stadium, Sane delivered a whopping 25 goals and 32 assists across 90 top-flight appearances, meaning he averaged one goal contribution every 106 minutes (almost one each outing), via Transfermarkt.

The one-time PFA Young Player of the Year has continued his fine form at Bayern, where he has provided 24 goals and 27 assists in 89 matches.

“He’s shown in the last few weeks what a great player he is. He plays with an ease – that’s impressive,” once claimed his former boss at the Allianz Arena, Hansi Flick.

When compared to his positional peers across Europe in the last year, the German sensation is evidently one of the best in the game right now. He ranks inside the top 1% for shots taken (3.99 per 90), the top 4% for non-penalty expected goals (0.44 per 90) and the top 6% for pass completion, via FBref.

With moves for Raphinha and even Serge Gnabry, who signed a contract extension recently, out of the picture, it would make sense for the Brazilian supremo to turn his attention to Sane.

AND in other news, Dharmesh Sheth drops £200m transfer claim at Arsenal…

Ciaran Clark is reportedly now ‘closing in’ on a loan move away from Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Out of favour

The Republic of Ireland international was largely out of favour at St James’ Park last season, making just 14 appearances across all competitions and completing the full 90 minutes in just 11 of those matches (Transfermarkt).

As per The Daily Mail, the centre-back has been training with the under-23s alongside both Jeff Hendrick and Dwight Gayle, suggesting that his long-term future now lies away from Tyneside.

The Latest: Sheffield United loan move

Taking to Twitter, Mike McGrath has revealed that Clark is now ‘closing in’ on a loan move to Sheffield United in the Championship, with a deal ‘close’ to being agreed between the two clubs.

The Daily Telegraph journalist tweeted: “Newcastle are close to agreeing a deal for Ciaran Clark to join Sheffield United on loan. #SUFC closing in on a season-long move for the #NUFC centre-back.”

The Verdict: He needs it

Clark needed a move away from Tyneside in order to get more regular game-time.

Given that Newcastle already have five other senior centre-backs currently in their ranks, and that Clark is now 32 years of age, they would have probably preferred a permanent deal for the Irishman, but instead it looks like he will move to Sheffield United on loan.

Clark currently earns £42,000-per-week at St James’ Park, so Eddie Howe’s side would also be grateful to get at least some of his wages off their books.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their plans for the rest of the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

The Telegraph journalist Luke Edwards has claimed that the club are set for a quiet spell in the market after bringing Sven Botman in from Ligue 1 side Lille.

However, he has also revealed that Leeds dynamo Jack Harrison is a player Dan Ashworth is eyeing ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

He tweeted: “Things can change but after signing of Botman should be quiet at NUFC on recruitment front for a bit. Dutch defender was priority signing in this window so everyone delighted to get him. Ekitike deal is dead so looking at alternatives. Jack Harrison remains a player of interest.”

It has previously been reported that the Whites want a fee in the region of £30m for the former Manchester City forward and it remains to be seen whether or not the Magpies are now willing to pay that.

Imagine him & Callum Wilson

By signing Harrison from Leeds, Newcastle can form an exciting partnership with him and current Toon centre-forward Wilson.

In the Premier League last season, the Magpies striker produced eight goals in 16 starts and only missed four ‘big chances’ in total. This came after he scored 12 goals in 23 starts – missing 10 ‘big chances’ – in his first campaign for the club.

He has proven that he can score goals on a regular basis in the top-flight and the signing of Harrison would give him an exciting player to link up with next season.

Leeds boss Jesse Marsch previously heaped praise on the winger’s ability out wide, saying: “He can run all day, he is explosive, he’s effective in 1-v-1s, he’s dangerous, he’s smart.

I’m asking him to play a different role, I want him to play a little bit more of an interior player. I just want to give him the confidence to apply our ideas of football and achieve. His application [of shooting] in the first game was really good.”

As illustrated by these quotes, Harrison is a player who can get fans off their seats in excitement as he is direct and can make things happen in the final third.

In two Premier League seasons with the Whites, the Englishman has produced 16 goals and nine assists from out wide – creating 13 ‘big chances’ in that time.

These statistics show that he has the quality to provide Wilson with the ammunition he needs to score goals, whilst also providing a big goal threat on his own.

Now imagine both of them lining up in black and white next season…

AND in other news: “Sources say…”: Craig Hope issues Newcastle transfer claim that’ll leave Howe gutted

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has tipped Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to make the move to Aston Villa this summer.

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the respected insider suggested that both Villa – as well as West Ham United – could be a good fit for the Englishman, amid reports that he is set to leave Anfield this summer.

Following speculation linking the 28-year-old to Villa Park, Jones admitted that he can see the former Arsenal man thriving for the Midlands outfit: “I think they’d [Villa and West Ham] be two good landing spots for Oxlade-Chamberlain if he does end up leaving this summer, two ambitious clubs. I think Oxlade-Chamberlain could add a lot to both sides as an attacking midfielder.”

The 35-cap international is likely to depart the Reds in the coming months with just a year remaining on his existing deal, with rumours suggesting that he could be available for as little as £10m.

Gerrard’s own De Bruyne

That could prove to be a bargain fee for a player who was signed by Jurgen Klopp from the Gunners for £35m back in 2017, with Villa boss Steven Gerrard able to welcome in a player with vast experience and undoubted talent.

Dubbed a “rough diamond” by one journalist following his move to Merseyside, Oxlade-Chamberlain remains something of an enigma at times and has been hampered by injury in recent years, although when fit and available he remains one of the most effective midfielders in the division.

That point is rubberstamped by his impressive statistical record from the past year, as he compares favourably to those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, ranking in the top 4% for progressive carries and progressive passes received, the top 3% for touches in the attacking penalty area, as well as in the top 8% for dribbles completed.

That would illustrate a player who thrives upon driving his side up the pitch and attempting to make the difference in the final third, with such abilities having also seen him compared to Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne, as per FBref, with regards to their stylistic and statistical similarities.

While Oxlade-Chamberlain’s three goal contributions in the league last term were dwarfed by the Belgian’s 15 goals and eight assists, that in part has to do with the Liverpool man’s lack of game time, with linking up with Gerrard and co likely to bolster his chances of regular football.

Like De Bruyne, ‘The Ox’ is at his best when handed the chance to start in that inside right channel as part of a midfield three, with his ability to break the lines and surge forward from deep making him a real menace for any side.

The City man remains the talisman in a team full of stars under Pep Guardiola and there’s no reason why the Englishman can’t be an equally as vital figure at Villa next term if he is to make the move, with his displays only set to improve under the guidance of Gerrard – a man the £125k-per-week gem has admitted to idolizing.

IN other news, Gerrard can land AVFC’s next Southgate with move for “outstanding” £120k-p/w warrior

West Ham United manager David Moyes is now ‘ready’ to offload another member of his Premier League squad this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: West Ham exodus begins?

As per the Evening Standard, the 59-year-old seems to be orchestrating a significant summer overhaul as he steps up transfer talks, with the club already confirming four departures.

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Ryan Fredericks, Andriy Yarmolenko, David Martin and the retiring Mark Noble will all leave the London Stadium upon the expiry of their contracts, with speculation also continuing to surround Tomas Soucek’s future.

According to recent claims, West Ham could listen to offers for the Czech Republic midfielder, with club insider Claret & Hugh now claiming that Moyes is ‘ready’ to offload another player.

The Latest: Moyes ready to axe Vlasic…

According to their information, the Scotsman ‘appears to be ready to cut his losses’ on 2021 summer signing Nikola Vlasic and will ‘try to recover whatever he can’ from selling the Croatian.

The club, and by extension GSB, have allegedly ‘sanctioned his potential sale’ as they give the green-light for the 24-year-old to leave.

The Verdict: Right call?

Despite a phenomenal season with former club CSKA Moscow before joining the east Londoners, Vlasic’s lack of opportunities under Moyes during his debut campaign with West Ham is perhaps an indicator that he just doesn’t quite cut it at Rush Green.

Over the 2020/21 season, he averaged a brilliant rate of four shots at goal per 90 in the Russian Premier League whilst racking up 11 goals and five assists (WhoScored), standing out as a consistent threat.

However, starting just six top-flight matches for West Ham over 2021/22, he hasn’t been given much of a chance to replicate his CSKA form for the Irons, and it may be best for both player and club to agree an amicable departure.

In other news: Offer ready: West Ham leap ahead of European giants in race for £21m forward! Find out more here.

Former Premier League striker Kevin Campbell has lauded the team spirit that Ange Postecoglou has created at Celtic this season.

The Lowdown: Ange’s superb first season at Celtic

The 56-year-old took charge at Parkhead last summer and has been an immediate hit for the Hoops, impressing with his all-round management at the club.

Celtic already have a Scottish League Cup to their name and the Premiership title is now within touching distance with three matches remaining.

It has been a wonderful season after the disappointment of last term, and it is now a case of getting the job done to round off a tremendous campaign for the manager and the club.

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The Latest: Campbell praises Celtic’s team spirit

Celtic’s team spirit has shone through since August, with Kyogo Furuhashi speaking out about the support that he received while he was injured.

Campbell waxed lyrical over that intangible quality to Football Insider as he gushed:

“They clearly have a great dressing room mentality. The team spirit is there. When a player is injured he often feels left out.

“It sounds like the players at Celtic have the right attitude under Postecoglou. The manager has done an excellent job there. Kyogo embodies that. He is a brilliant player and character by the sounds of it.

“The dressing room culture is right at Celtic and that is so important if you want to achieve success.”

The Verdict: Good times for Celtic

It certainly feels as though something potentially special is building at Parkhead, with Postecoglou transforming matters after Neil Lennon’s ill-fated second reign as manager.

The hope is that this is only the beginning, with a likely return to the Champions League next season hugely exciting, not to mention the possibility of new signings that it could attract.

Celtic’s team spirit has increasingly stood out as the season has gone on, as illustrated by the Furuhashi example above, and it is clear that this is a group of players all pulling the same direction. As Campbell has hinted, success can only be achieved if you have that harmony within your group.

In other news, one pundit has dropped a worrying Celtic transfer claim. Read more here.

They meet United in Qualifier 1, while Qalandars and Kings face off in the Eliminator

Danyal Rasool20-May-2025PSL 2025 is nearing an end, having completed the group stages in Rawalpindi following a brief suspension two weeks ago. The game between Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi was an effective knockout – the most consequential of the four group games since the league’s resumption. The tournament now moves to Lahore, where it will stay till the final on May 25. Quetta Gladiators and Islamabad United kickstart the playoffs with Qualifier 1, while arch-rivals Qalandars and Karachi Kings face off in the Eliminator. ESPNcricinfo looks at how each team’s campaign has unfolded, and what it tells us about the season’s denouement.Quetta GladiatorsThere was a sliding-doors moment for Gladiators two weeks into the tournament. They had played just three games due to a quirk of the scheduling, having lost two convincingly, and were on track to make it three losses in four against Kings. Kings needed 66 runs off the remaining 69 balls with nine wickets in hand when the Gladiators bowlers somehow found a second wind. Gladiators eventually pulled out a five-run win, which forced the Kings captain David Warner to remark that his side had handed the opposition the game.Catalysed, Gladiators have become an unstoppable behemoth since. They won all their remaining completed matches, finishing three points clear of the field at the top of the table. Abrar Ahmed has been arguably the best legspinner this season, second on the wickets charts with an economy rate under 7.50. Mohammad Amir and Khurram Shahzad have each made match-winning contributions, while Faheem Ashraf has rediscovered some of his better all-round form.At the top, captain Saud Shakeel opening the batting is arguably a point of weakness, but there is significant power hitting among Gladiators’ ranks elsewhere. Finn Allen and Rilee Rossouw will return for the playoffs, while local players Hasan Nawaz and Khawaja Nafay can inflict damage in their own right. With two bites at a spot in the final, Gladiators look well-poised for a first final since they won their only title six years ago.United’s Sahibzada Farhan and Alex Hales form arguably the best opening combination this PSL•PCBIslamabad UnitedMaybe what separates United’s genius from their madness is just hindsight. The defending champions were heavily criticised for throwing away their momentum after they appeared to be running away with the league after winning their first five matches. They then rested five players for the sixth game, and duly got pounded by Qalandars. That lightning in a bottle they had captured suddenly gone, United lost four on the bounce, and were in slight danger of missing out on the playoffs altogether.The break, though, has done them good. The old United was back in its full pomp in a dismantling of Kings that saw them claim a place in the qualifier alongside Gladiators. In this kind of form, there is perhaps no side that can truly live with United.Alex Hales showed himself to be the perfect replacement with Colin Munro no longer available, and alongside Sahibzada Farhan, forms arguably the best opening combination in the league. Shadab Khan is having another excellent all-round season, while no bowler with as many wickets as Imad Wasim is nearly as economical as his 7.06. With Ben Dwarshuis, Tymal Mills and Salman Irshad as the frontline quicks, United’s weakness perhaps lies in the absence of a truly premium fast bowler, but they have plenty of cover elsewhere to compensate. United are a team that can blow hot and cold, though Monday, when they thumped 251 batting first against Kings, suggests, ominously for the league, that there will be more of the former than the latter.Kings captain David Warner has taken to the PSL with surprising enthusiasm, while James Vince is the second-highest run-scorer this season•PCBKarachi KingsKings missed out on each of the last three playoffs, so there’s progress already. It has been something of a stop-start season as Kings alternated between wins and losses for the first six games, before doing just enough to secure passage to the playoffs ahead of the league’s temporary suspension. The hammering at United’s hands, though, was a reminder of the gap that exists between Kings’ average performances and the very best at the top of the league.Kings have never truly managed to build up a head of steam this season, and just as they strung three wins together, they found themselves railroaded into the Eliminator by United. Their top three is as imposing as any in the league, with Warner, who has taken to the PSL and this Kings project, with surprising enthusiasm. Tim Seifert and James Vince, the second-highest run-scorer this season, flank him. Mohammad Nabi is the most economical spinner, while Abbas Afridi is the highest wicket-taker, and Hasan Ali is not far behind, even if they have tended to be expensive.It is Kings’ domestic core in the middle order, though, that may expose a soft underbelly. Khushdil Shah has exploded into life from time to time, but there is an air of vulnerability beyond the top three which Kings haven’t quite shaken off. It is what led to that infamous collapse against Gladiators early in the season, and, on Monday against United, Kings lost seven wickets for 34 runs – they went from 80 for 1 to 114 for 8 – to seal their fate.Fakhar Zaman has a strike rate of 155.04 in PSL 2025Lahore QalandarsQalandars came within one match of exiting in the first round for the seventh time in ten years, but produced a clutch performance in a rain-shortened game to ward off that fate. Much like Kings, Qalandars’ season has waxed and waned. Consistency has proved elusive, but enough individuals in their squad have come up with performances when points on the board were needed.Qalandars remain heavily dependent on the timeless Fakhar Zaman, the third-highest run-scorer in the league; he has a superior strike rate to the top two. After an uncertain start, his opening partner Mohammad Naeem’s flashes of brilliance give Qalandars firepower up top without needing to turn to overseas players. Rounding off the domestic top three is Abdullah Shafique, who also ranks among the top eight for runs. Throw in a strike rate of 147.15, and flying powerplay starts are almost guaranteed.Qalandars’ major worry lies at the other end. Their charge to successive PSL titles came courtesy of a world-class bowling attack in Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan and Rashid Khan. They still have three of those four, but none has proved remotely as effective. Haris’ economy is a staggering 10.66, the highest of all specialist bowlers in the tournament.Qalandars have also been most affected by player departures. Daryl Mitchell, Sam Billings and Sikandar Raza, all key contributors at various stages, will not be available during the playoffs, and though the Qalandars have drafted in Kusal Perera, Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Shakib al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, it remains to be seen whether those shoes have been filled.