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Members of the national media have moved to criticise West Ham United winger Jarrod Bowen as the east Londoners succumbed to defeat at Anfield.

The Lowdown: Hammers taste defeat…

The Hammers tasted their first loss in five games across all competitions as Premier League giants Liverpool grabbed a 1-0 win against David Moyes’ side on Wednesday evening.

Darwin Nunez’s early strike at Anfield was enough to clinch Jurgen Klopp all three points after a torrid first 40 or so minutes for West Ham.

The travelling side failed to stamp any authority over the first period and, after regaining some control towards the end of the half, squandered the opportunity to draw level when Bowen missed a penalty in front of the Kop.

Moyes’ men did put up more of a fight in the second half and were unlucky not to draw level ten minutes from full time, with James Milner’s last-ditch challenge denying midfielder Tomas Soucek from close range.

However, it wasn’t quite enough for the Irons, who travel back down south after a second defeat on Merseyside in the space of a month.

The Latest: Media criticise Bowen…

Following the England international’s missed spot-kick, members of the media have criticised Bowen for failing to grasp what would have been a game-changing opportunity.

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Richard Amofa (The Athletic editor via Twitter): “Bowen must have crumbled under the Kop…. Because what was that?”

Huge Woozencroft (talkSPORT host, via Twitter): “What an awful awful penalty by Bowen.”

Joshua Mbu (The Sun journalist, via Twitter): “Such a weak attempt from Bowen. So tame. Perfect height. Get Scamacca on pens. Clean striker of the ball. Effortlessly generates power.”

The Verdict: Missed opportunity…

A converted penalty for 1-1 would have turned the tide given Liverpool’s dominance at the time, with West Ham largely failing to deal with their quick, incisive attacking play before the interval.

Alas, Moyes comes away with West Ham’s first loss since mid-September, ending an unbeaten run which had eased pressure on the Scotsman’s position.

They next face newly-promoted Bournemouth at the London Stadium and West Ham simply must return to winning ways – if they perform like they did in the second half, you’d back them to do just that.

Leicester City have been handed a fitness boost after Brendan Rodgers confirmed that Marc Albrighton is set to return for the Premier League game vs Wolves this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Concerns over absence

The Foxes secured a 2-0 victory over Leeds in midweek so should be travelling to Molineux with a bit more confidence having picked up a much-needed three points.

The midfielder was noticeably absent from the matchday squad against the Whites, though it’s now been revealed that it wasn’t due to an injury, eliminating any concerns that supporters may have had.

The Latest: Albrighton fitness update

Speaking during his pre-match press conference, Rodgers confirmed that Albrighton was missing due to illness, and should be back in contention to face the Old Gold later today.

As quoted by the club’s official website, he said:

“He was off ill. He’s been ill for a few days. I saw him [on Thursday] morning and he was feeling much better so hopefully he’ll be back in [on Friday] and available for the weekend.”

The Verdict: Boost for Rodgers

Albrighton being available for selection again will come as a huge boost to Rodgers who will know how much of a valuable member of the squad he is.

The ‘superb’ 32-year-old, as hailed by sports journalist Josh Bunting, has racked up 46 assists and 18 goals during his time at the King Power, highlighting the impact he can have in the final third (Transfermarkt).

The Tamworth-born talent has made zero starts this season, but with Leicester still in the relegation zone, it’s worth thinking about making some changes, and Albrighton is someone who more than has the ability to change a game on his day.

Lynden Gooch has suffered an injury setback and is now likely to be out for Sunderland for ‘a few weeks’.

The Lowdown: Was in contention

Tony Mowbray confirmed before last weekend’s 4-2 loss at home to Burnley in the Championship that Gooch was in contention to return for the game.

He came off at half-time with a foot injury in their previous match against Blackburn Rovers, and has since been in training to try and speed up his recovery.

The Latest: Few weeks out

Speaking to the media in is pre-game press conference ahead of their match away ay Luton Town on Saturday afternoon, Mowbray has confirmed that Gooch is now likely to be out for ‘a few weeks’, after previously hoping that he could make his return against Burnley.

He added that the Wearside club ‘hope’ that they can have him back during the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where there is a chance that he could be picked for the USA, having earned four senior caps for the national team previously.

The Verdict: Big blow

The fact that Gooch has now been ruled out of action at the Stadium of Light until after the World Cup is a big blow for Mowbray and his side.

He had previously played in every game in the Championship before his injury, notching up a goal and an assist and ranking highly among his team-mates for average tackles, clearances, dribbles, passes, crosses, long balls and through balls per match (WhoScored).

Nonetheless, the 26-year-old is a key player for the Black Cats, and will no doubt be missed against Luton and in their next set of fixtures.

During a busy summer transfer window, amongst all the bustle of Steven Gerrard’s supposed revolution, Aston Villa managed to tie down one of their key young assets in Cameron Archer.

The 20-year-old – who has enjoyed loan spells at Solihull Moors and Preston North End – was then quoted as looking forward to the battle for first-team spots with the seasoned professionals in front of him.

He said: “You’ve got players like Danny Ings, Ollie Watkins and he (Gerrard) wants to keep me around to fight for a place in the squad. I like learning from them, they’re established Premier League goalscorers.”

However, since then he has featured five times in the Premier League, accruing a total of just 36 minutes as he wasted away under the former management team.

The young striker has shown much promise during his time at Villa Park, with a consistent stream of goals at youth level and last season in the Championship. 

It was the next natural step up to gain an increased involvement in the Villans’ senior squad, particularly when his competition, Ings and Watkins, had scored just once each under Gerrard this season.

During the first half of last term, Archer once again set about proving that youth football was beneath him. He scored three and assisted two in just four Premier League 2 games, and even against lower-tier senior sides scored six goals in four EFL Trophy matches.

So when he earned his half-a-season loan move to the Lilywhites, it was no surprise that he continued this trend, with seven goals in 20 Championship outings.

This exposure to senior football likely led to the 1500% rise in his value over the last 11 months, with the starlet receiving glowing praise from his manager Ryan Lowe.

He said: “His quality levels are fantastic, he’s bullish, strong, he can roll, he has got that little burst of pace too.”

Having been promised increased opportunity under the last manager, Unai Emery will have been briefed on his goalscoring prowess upon joining the Midlands club.

It is now his turn to surely unleash the youngster who knows how to find the back of the net with regularity; something that his current forwards clearly do not.

Chelsea will make the trip to the North West tonight to take on Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in the third round of the EFL Cup, and Graham Potter will be hoping his team can leave their poor Premier League form behind.

The Blues have failed to secure a win in their last four league outings and have now fallen into seventh in the league table which will be frustrating for new manager Potter as he attempts to lead Chelsea to better things following the departure of Thomas Tuchel.

As a result, a great performance and run in domestic trophies should be a huge priority for the manager considering Chelsea went to both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup final last season so expectations will be high when they face Pep Guardiola’s side this evening.

One player who could be set to make his senior Chelsea debut this evening is former Arsenal wonderkid, Omari Hutchinson, with Potter hinting about the player’s potential inclusion during his pre-match press conference yesterday.

When asked about the idea of Hutchinson and other youngsters featuriing in the EFL Cup, Potter responded:

“He’s in the squad. Lewis Hall is in the squad. They’ve impressed, They’ve been training with us for a while now, and we’ve got some good quality young players we just need to nurture and take the right steps with. They will be in the squad and involved.”

It comes as The Athletic reported that Hutchinson was asked by the club not to report for Jamaica duty and it is clear now that the request was made based on an opportunity to play against Man City this week.

The London-based club signed the Redhill-born talent from the Gunners after rising through the ranks at the Emirates for seven years, but Arsenal’s loss could now be Chelsea’s gain.

Hutchinson scored a whopping 17 goals and registered 16 assists from his attacking midfield position in Arsenal’s U18 and U21 teams but did not a senior appearance before making the move to West London, where he has continued to shine in the Chelsea youth set-up this season.

The 19-year-old, who was hailed “outstanding” by Mark Worrall, has scored six goals and delivered six assists in the U21s, with a goal contribution every 101 minutes so far proving that he is deserving of taking the next step in his career.

With that being said, Potter could hand Hutchinson his first-ever senior appearance tonight and it could be the perfect opportunity for both the manager to get an initial impression of how the talented teenager can become a part of the future at the club.

Either way, it’ll be the biggest test of the youngster’s embryonic career to date, as with no prior senior experience, he could come up against the best the country has to offer on Wednesday evening.

Aston Villa correspondent Ashley Preece has been reacting to the news of Tyrone Mings’ exclusion from the England World Cup squad.

The Lowdown: Error in front of Southgate

The defender has made 12 appearances during the current Premier League campaign under Steven Gerrard and Unai Emery. The 29-year-old, who has 17 international caps to his name, was part of Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2020 squad but hasn’t featured for the Three Lions since March.

Southgate was in attendance for Villa’s game with Chelsea last month, with the centre-back making a big error early on which allowed Mason Mount to score.

The Latest: World Cup absence

On Thursday, England manager Southgate named his 26-man squad for the World Cup in Qatar, with Villa duo Mings and Ollie Watkins both missing out.

Harry Maguire, Eric Dier, John Stones, Conor Coady, Ben White and Kyle Walker were preferred, with Preece admitting on Twitter that he was ‘gutted’ for Mings, who he feels has been ‘so strong’ for Villa this season.

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The Verdict: Not a surprise?

Mings began the 2022/23 season on the bench under Gerrard and missed the entirety of England’s UEFA Nations League campaign.

Therefore, it shouldn’t come as a major shock to the player that he has missed out on a World Cup call, although it will still be hugely disappointing given his previous involvement for the Three Lions.

Villa will also feel for their centre-back, although Emery may actually benefit from Southgate’s decision, as he will have more time to work with the player on the training ground over the next six weeks.

Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate is ‘in line’ to start for France at the 2022 World Cup, according to a claim from reliable journalist Amy Lawrence.

The Lowdown: Konate on World Cup duty

Seven Reds players are taking part in the tournament in Qatar, with Konate representing Les Bleus, who as holders are one of the front-runners to lift the trophy.

The 23-year-old has only recently returned from injury but his influence has immediately shone through, especially in the 2-1 victory away to Tottenham, after which Jurgen Klopp said the “outstanding” defender had a “top game”.

It now looks as though Konate could be playing a prominent role for France as well, following a fresh claim.

The Latest: Konate could start for France

Taking to Twitter, Lawrence hinted that the Liverpool defender looks like the favourite to partner Raphael Varane at centre-back in Qatar.

Sharing a corresponding article for The Athletic, she stated:

“France have all sorts of uncertainty at the back ahead of their World Cup defence. So much rests on Varane, who is expected to be fit the first game. Konate is in the frame to partner him in defence.”

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The Verdict: Massive chance to shine

This would be a hugely proud moment for Konate if Didier Deschamps does opt to start him, following an injury to Presnel Kimpembe which has ruled him out of the tournament.

It is a wonderful opportunity for the Liverpool youngster to shine on the biggest stage of all, not only enhancing his reputation but also looking to become a world champion at the same time.

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The 23-year-old showed how much of a titan he can be at the back in the Reds’ win at Spurs a few days ago, winning a mammoth 11 duels against Antonio Conte’s side, the most of anyone on the pitch that day (Sofascore).

Konate may still be young but he is a player who likely won’t be overawed by playing on the world stage, and this could simply be the next pivotal moment in a career which is showing so much promise.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou ‘won’t be bothered’ by his side’s back-to-back training camp defeats, according to former professional turned pundit Tam McManus.

The Lowdown: Winless in Australia

The Scottish Premiership champions recently visited Australia for their mid-season break whilst the World Cup is taking place where they participated in two friendlies.

Despite fielding pretty strong line-ups in both matches regardless of several squad members currently being away in Qatar, the Hoops first off lost 2-1 to Sydney FC before being edged out on penalties by Everton.

The Latest: McManus’ verdict

Speaking to Football Insider, McManus insisted that whilst Celtic failed to pick up any victories down under, Postecoglou won’t be concerned given the club’s start to the season. He said:

“He won’t be bothered at all, I shouldn’t think.

“When you have had the sensational start to the season that Celtic have had, nine points clear of your biggest rivals, still in both cups, you haven’t disgraced yourself in Europe, there is nothing to complain about.

“Ange has plenty of credit in the bank. The Celtic supporters know this is nothing more than a mid-season break. It’s a chance to go to Australia where they have thousands of fans who are desperate to see the team.

“They are getting paid handsomely to play in that tournament as well, let’s not forget that. So, all in all, if the supporters are looking at that as a pre-season thing, the results don’t really matter.

“I saw bits and pieces of the games. I think Celtic gave Everton a good game, certainly in the first half. They will be disappointed with the result against Sydney but they did rest a lot of players and gave fringe players a chance.

“They will enjoy their break now. They will train hard but they can also let their hair down and go for a beer.

“All in all, it’s been a good trip for Celtic.”

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The Verdict: No need to panic

The Bhoys will of course be hoping to pick up some positive results during their break, but in terms of questions over if it will affect their performances moving forward, there’s definitely no need to panic.

The Glasgow side have won 14 and lost just one of their opening 15 games this term, leaving them already nine points clear of rivals Rangers at the top of the table (Sky Sports).

Postecoglou looks very likely to be guiding his team to yet another title, and with the two cup trophies still up for grabs, it could be a very promising ending to the campaign at Parkhead.

Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge has cast doubt over the chances of Tottenham Hotspur going through with a deal to sign goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

What’s the talk?

90min recently reported that the Poland international has been offered to Spurs ahead of the January transfer window and that the club have not completely ruled out a swoop for the 32-year-old.

However, Bridge is not convinced that is a viable transfer for Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici to complete due to the shot-stopper’s Arsenal connections.

He told GIVEMESPORT:

“This is a guy that hates the club and the fans don’t like him either. It would go down as one of the most surprising signings and, in this day and age, nothing should surprise you in football.

“There would be protests and there would be an online petition from fans because he’s made his feelings clear that he’s an Arsenal man.

“I would be stunned and, of all my years in football and 15 years at Sky, if I announced that transfer, it would probably be the most shocked I’ve ever been in football transfers.”

Disaster signing

Conte must now avoid what could be a disastrous signing for Spurs by passing up on the chance to sign Szczesny from Juventus in the upcoming transfer window.

The 68-cap international spent over 11 years with Arsenal between their academy and first-team during his time in England and made 181 senior appearances for the Gunners before leaving to sign for Juventus in 2017 for £10m.

He made no secret of his dislike for Spurs as the goalkeeper previously took to Instagram to mock Tottenham after they lost 5-1 to Newcastle at the end of the 2015/16 campaign.

Therefore, as Bridge suggested, the supporters may find it difficult to warm to the 32-year-old. His history with the club and their rivals could be too much for them to deal with and that means that it would be a very risky signing for Conte to make.

If he joined Spurs and made any mistakes in the early part of his career then the fans could jump on him and slam the shot-stopper for his performances, and the club for bringing him in, as they may already have a less than favourable opinion on him.

Former Old Lady gem Stefano Tacconi previously criticised the shot-stopper in 2015, whilst he was on loan at Roma in Italy. He told Gazzetta TV (via the Independent): “He’s a good goalkeeper, there’s no doubt about that. But he’s an uncontrollable lunatic – he’s completely mad. And for this reason, he’s a risk.”

This suggests that he has a mistake in him, which is backed up by him giving away two penalties and making one error directly leading to a goal in the Serie A last season, and this indicates that there is a reasonable chance that he would give Tottenham fans an opportunity to criticise him.

Therefore, signing the Poland international has the potential to be a big disaster and that is why Conte must look elsewhere if he wants to sign an alternative to Hugo Lloris between the sticks.

West Ham United are eyeing a move for Spezia centre-back Jakub Kiwior, who has recently returned from World Cup duty with national side Poland.

The Lowdown: West Ham target defender

West Ham have been somewhat up and down in the Premier League this season, and manager David Moyes has seemingly identified the need for a new defender to help find some consistency through the spine.

Kiwior started every game for his national side in Qatar, prior to their exit to reigning champions France, keeping two clean sheets in the process, and he is now being considered for a switch to the London Stadium.

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The Latest: Kiwior in Moyes’ sights

According to a report from Sport Witness, sharing news from the Italian press, the enforcer is a target for the Hammers next summer, but also the likes of Napoli, AS Roma, AC Milan and Juventus.

Originally, the colossus was valued at around £13m, but owing to his displays at the World Cup, his valuation has now risen to £17m, with his future considered likely to be in the Premier League.

The Verdict: Dawson replacement?

The defender, dubbed ‘impressive’ by Serie A analyst Matteo Bonetti, has been in remarkable form for Spezia over the past year, averaging 2.9 clearances per 90 minutes, placing him in the 99th percentile compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top leagues.

At just 22, the Poland international would be a fantastic long-term option to replace Craig Dawson, who is expected to depart in 2023 and is of a similar ilk in terms of his no-nonsense approach to defending.

During the World Cup, the West Ham target has built on his form at club level, particularly impressing in the 0-0 draw against Mexico, making five clearances and two interceptions in the match to help ensure his side came away with an important point.

By performing so well in a game of such magnitude, the starlet emphasised that he is now worthy of testing himself in the Premier League, and West Ham should prioritise his signature in the summer, if they can fend off the interest from elsewhere.