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An update has emerged on Southampton striker Danny Ings, regarding Tottenham’s interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to Dean Jones of Eurosport, Tottenham are preparing to make their opening offer for Southampton number nine Danny Ings.

Spurs are said to have made him a priority target and are now on the cusp of submitting their first bid for his services. However, they are planning to offer below Southampton’s £20m valuation before negotiating with them further.

Fans would be livid

Martin Semmens must avoid a Southampton nightmare by rejecting Tottenham’s offer for Ings. He cannot allow the club’s star forward to leave the club, especially for a fee that is said to be below the £20m valuation set by the Saints this summer.

Speaking of which, the £20m fee mentioned in this report is a concerning one.

Southampton reportedly paid £20m to sign Ings on a permanent deal from Liverpool and has been prolific over the past two seasons. He has scored 34 goals since the start of the 2019/20 campaign, which shows that he can find the back of the net consistently at Premier League level – a rare commodity.

Therefore, his value should have increased because he has proven himself at the top level.

His contract is up at the end of next season, but the cost of being relegated far exceeds the £20m loss Southampton would seemingly take if they allow him to leave on a free transfer.

A report in 2018 explained that relegation can cost a club at least £50m, which emphasises the point that £20m is too cheap to sell your best goalscorer. Losing his goals could increase the chances of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side going down, simply because the fewer goals you score the fewer points you are likely to rack up.

Former Premier League forward Clinton Morrison once called Ings “first-class” and compared him to Spurs legend Robbie Keane.

He said:

“Yes, I would say Danny Ings is top-four quality, most definitely. The season he’s had at Southampton, if you put him in one of the teams at the top four, he’d easily score goals like that.

“I used to play with a striker who used to play like Danny Ings – Robbie Keane.

“I look at the way Ings plays at the moment, his movement is first class and I used to say to Robbie Keane, ‘how do you get in behind defenders when you’re not rapid?’ His movement was first-class and Danny Ings is like that.”

So, why should Southampton sell a player who is top-four quality and has proven that with his goal record for £20m, let alone under £20m?

Semmens must avoid making a major error with Ings this summer by either upping his price tag or doing everything he can to keep hold of the England international.

AND in other news, Semmens could find Mane 2.0 in £35m “exceptional talent”, Saints fans would adore him…

The Red Devils were expected to build on last season's progress, but instead it feels like they are back to square one

Erik ten Hag's Manchester United reign began with a home defeat to Brighton and, 13 months on, there was a huge sense of deja-vu after the Seagulls ran riot at Old Trafford on Saturday, winning 3-1 to end United's year-long unbeaten home run. Brighton had a different man in charge back then, and even though they were going places under Graham Potter, they have made a stunning improvement under the guidance of Roberto De Zerbi, who has led them into Europe for the first time.

United, meanwhile, look back to square one. They are as weak, if not weaker, defensively than at the start of last season, and they are seriously lacking creativity in attack. Marcus Rashford was the only player who looked capable of causing much damage on Saturday, with Bruno Fernandes looking stunted, Christian Eriksen struggling to have an impact and Casemiro looking shorn of all the power and class he showed last season.

Where do United go from here? Last August, they still had time to remedy their problems in the transfer market, signing Casemiro and then Antony. But now, they have already done their business and the transfer window shut two weeks ago. Meanwhile, they are without Antony and Jadon Sancho for indefinite periods for non-sporting reasons and have a worryingly long injury list, just three aspects of a spiralling of problems for Ten Hag over the last three months.

Ten Hag's arrival last season brought hope to United after a series of bad coaching hires since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement. He delivered a first trophy in six years and seemed to have raised standards off the pitch. But rather than kick on this season and mount a title challenge, it feels as if they are going backwards.

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  Passive defending

  United actually made a good start against Brighton, looking dangerous for the opening 15 minutes. But the Seagulls scored with practically their first chance, aided by some very weak defending.

  Debutant Sergio Reguilon was caught out of position and a simple pass took him out of the equation, leaving Danny Welbeck to release Simon Adingra down the right wing and drift into the area. Lisandro Martinez made a feeble effort to try and block Adingra's cross while Victor Lindelof lost track of Welbeck and the ball, allowing the former United striker to score.

  The second goal from Pascal Gross, who scored twice in last season's victory, was another result of poor anticipation from United's centre-back pairing. Lindelof and Martinez were both flummoxed by Tariq Lamptey's through ball to Gross, with the Argentine not even sensing the danger until it was too late. There was also little co-operation between the midfield and the defence for Joao Pedro's goal.

  Based on their performance at Old Trafford and in their previous four matches, it is hard to comprehend how Ten Hag's side registered more clean sheets than any other Premier League side last year. They have conceded 10 goals so far this season; only Wolves and Burnley have shipped more.

  "We have to improve that. There are things from the team and individuals who have to step up," said Ten Hag on the defensive problems. "Sometimes you are in bad period, difficult periods, and you have to face that and deal with that. We can't blame anyone else, we have to do better and be more determined, more resilient."

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  Hojlund a work in progress

  When United were performing well at the end of last season it was clear they lacked a proper centre-forward. Once a top-quality striker was brought in, the theory went, the team could reach their true potential. But the idea was that the new striker would complement the team rather than carry them on his back.

  Rasmus Hojlund, however, came into his full debut appearing like a knight in shining armour, tasked with rescuing United from their woeful start to the season. It was always going to be a heavy burden for a 20-year-old with only one season in Europe's top five leagues under his belt.

  The Dane had an encouraging home bow, linking up well with Rashford and providing a much-needed focal point for the rest of the players to look to. But it is clear that the £72-million ($89m) man is very much a work in progress and will need time to properly dovetail with his new team-mates and acclimatise to the league. He also needs time to fully regain his fitness after arriving with a back injury which meant he could only make his first appearance for the club almost a month after joining from Atalanta.

  That was evident when Ten Hag substituted him in the 64th minute for Anthony Martial, to a chorus of boos. The manager felt that it was too risky for Hojlund to play 90 minutes so soon after returning from injury. He explained: "Everyone knows he came in with a small issue, we built him up over the last three to four weeks, he is not ready for a whole game. If he gets injured because he is not capable to play 90 minutes then we are much farther away than where we want to go."

  There was a great irony in Ten Hag bringing on Martial, United's most injury-prone player, to protect Hojlund, and the Frenchman offered very little in his time on the pitch, showing none of the spark or desire of the new signing.

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  Casemiro not a saviour anymore

  When United fell to their shocking 4-0 defeat at Brentford in the second game of last season, Casemiro sent a text message to his agent, who had been discussing his potential move to Old Trafford. "Tell them I'll fix," he said.

  Casemiro was signed for a fee rising to £70m a few days later and soon did fix United's problems, bringing world-class quality to the team and a winning mentality he had gained after so many years at Real Madrid.

  Fast-forward a year, however, and Casemiro looks tired and beyond the peak of his powers. That should not be such a surprise given he is 31, but his decline sure has been dramatic and steep. Against Brighton, his passes were routinely cut out and he was not so much a wall in front of the defence but an open window, and the visitors could pour forward on the break with little resistance from the Brazilian.

  Casemiro is normally the last player to leave the pitch, but he was hauled off after only 64 minutes, replaced by 20-year-old Hannibal Mejbri. He is no longer the man to fix United's problems. Instead, he could do with some mending himself.

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  No Sancho & no Antony

  It feels like a very long time ago now, but Sancho helped lead United's revival after their last miserable start to a season. After the twin defeats to Brighton and Brentford, Sancho scored the opening goal in the 2-1 win over Liverpool in the next game and the only strike in the 1-0 win over Leicester in their fifth match of the season.

  But now, Sancho is persona-non grata after firing back at Ten Hag's criticism of his performances in training and refusing to apologise. He has been forced to train separately from the rest of his team-mates, and on Saturday was not at Old Trafford. Instead, he went to watch United's Under-18s side in action against Nottingham Forest.

  Antony was another player who played his part in United's recovery from their poor start. He scored in his first three matches following his £85m ($105m) move from Ajax and became one of Ten Hag's most trusted players on the pitch.

  The Brazilian's productivity then sharply declined, although he remained a first-choice pick for Ten Hag and played a big role in the manager's style of play due to his work off the ball. But Antony is now also unavailable for selection after serious allegations – which he denies – were made against him by three women in Brazil.

  United really lacked a presence on the right wing against Brighton as Ten Hag's midfield diamond failed to sparkle, and the only width they got was from their full-backs Diogo Dalot and Reguilon. And it is unclear whether Antony or Sancho, who cost United a combined total of £160m ($198m), will ever play for the club again.

Check out the top-rated men's players from Ligue 1 on EA Sports FC 24!

It is almost time for the release of EA Sports FC 24, with fans across the globe gearing up to experience the new features, gameplay, and additions to the much-loved football video game.

Player ratings are one of the most-anticipated announcements made by EA Sports in the lead-up to a new game, and it looks like we may have already seen some in the official trailer videos, and sneak-peeks released by EA.

Despite Ligue 1 football having an unfair reputation as "The Farmers League," there are plenty of star names plying their trade in France's top flight, which includes arguably the best players in the world right now, Kylian Mbappe.

Find the best EA Sports FC 24 deals on Amazon USPre-order nowFind the best EA Sports FC 24 deals on Amazon UKPre-order now

What's more, Ligue 1 always have a pool of young and upcoming prospects, who have the potential for significant increases in their ratings. All in all, there are some great bargains to be found for Ultimate team and Career mode players willing to look for them in the French top flight.

The ratings for the best players in the game have been released and we take a look at who are the best players from the Ligue 1 to feature in the game. From PSG mega-star Mbappe to AS Monaco goal-machine Wissam Ben-Yedder, GOAL sheds light on the top-rated players in the game from France's top division.

Read more EA Sports FC 24 news

• EA Sports FC 24: Release Date, price & complete guide
• EA Sports FC 24: Best Players Ratings
• EA Sports FC 24: Best Saudi Pro League Players
• EA Sports FC 24: Ronaldo v Messi: Who is Better?
• EA Sports FC 24: Best Players from La Liga

• Kylian Mbappe | PSG | 91

  Attribute	Rating
  PAC	97
  SHO	90
  PAS	80
  DRI	92
  DEF	36
  PHY	78

  There are no major surprises for who sits at the top of the Ligue 1 ratings. Kylian Mbappe is the joint best-rated star in FC 24 off the back of yet another exceptional season for club and country. He finished as the league’s top scorer once again and bagged a hat-trick in the 2022 World Cup final – becoming only the second man to do so. Needless to say, he is one of the fastest and best dribblers, making him truly unbelievable to witness in the game!

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  Marquinhos | PSG | 87

  Attribute	Rating
  PAC	78
  SHO	56
  PAS	75
  DRI	74
  DEF	89
  PHY	80

  A defensive stalwart for both club and country, Brazilian defender Marquinhos is PSG's captain and has been an outstanding servant for the Parisians over the years. He has won almost every trophy with PSG save for the UEFA Champions League and the centre-back will be hoping that he can finally lift it in the upcoming season.

  Among the most elite defenders in the world, last season was unimpressive by the veteran's high standards, which has resulted in a -1 downgrade to 87 in FC 24.

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  Gianluigi Donnarumma | PSG | 87

  Attribute	Rating
  DIV	90
  HAN	82
  KIC	79
  REF	89
  SPD	52
  POS	82

  One of the highest-rated shot-stoppers in the game, Donnarumma had a fairly average for club and country last season, while his performances in the Champions League weren't good either. As a result, EA reduced his rating by one point for the second season running, making his new rating 87.

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  Ousmane Dembele | PSG | 86

  Attribute	Rating
  PAC	93
  SHO	77
  PAS	81
  DRI	87
  DEF	36
  PHY	57

  After several injury-plagued lacklustre seasons at Barcelona, Dembele played a prominent role in their successful 2022-23 season, registering eight goals and nine assists from 35 games in all competitions as Barca won the La Liga crown. Now plying his trade at Parc des Princes, the 26-year-old Frenchman also starred for 2022 World Cup finalists France, which has seen his rating receive a +2 bump to 86.

GOAL asked several MLS All-Stars about Lionel Messi adjusting to the U.S. and how players will defend him.

Lionel Messi has arrived in MLS. It's still hard to really believe, isn't it? On Friday, he'll put on an Inter Miami shirt for the first time for his debut in the Leagues Cup, kickstarting an American adventure that still feels surreal.

And it isn't just surreal to the American public, who are now preparing themselves for the Messi era. It's also come as a major lift to players across MLS, who will now get a chance to play with and against a player that many consider the greatest of all time.

Players across MLS are thrilled by the idea of facing off with the Argentine star, with many of the league's younger stars growing up idolizing Messi. Some of MLS' more decorated players, meanwhile, are excited about the idea of seeing another world-class star help elevate the league to a new level.

It won't be easy, though. Life in MLS has its challenges, even for Messi. He'll need to make some major adjustments if he wants to thrive in a league that is unlike any other in the world.

Ahead of the MLS All-Star Game, GOAL caught up with several players to discuss Messi's arrival and what it takes to adjust to life in MLS.

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  'A pinch-me moment'

  John Tolkin grew up idolizing Messi. As a left-footer himself, the New York Red Bulls and U.S. men's national team fullback studied the ex-Barcelona star growing up. In his youth, Tolkin was drawn to lefties, and what better left-footer is there than Messi?

  Now a 20-year-old homegrown MLS star, Tolkin has a very real chance of facing the player he grew up idolizing. The Red Bulls host Inter Miami on August 26, and there's a very real chance that he goes head-to-head with Messi at some point in that match.

  "I expect packed stadiums and a lot of security and a lot of pitch invaders," joked Tolkin. "It's pretty insane. My Instagram and Twitter feed, you can't miss that he's here. I think it's so good for the league and for the country just to try and grow soccer as it is.

  "If I'm able to step on the field with him, that'll definitely be a pinch-me moment and I definitely won't believe it for a pretty long time. At the same time, though, I want to beat him! That would be pretty cool to say: I beat Messi."

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  Getting stuck in against a god

  Despite what he said above, Tolkin isn't planning on just standing there starstruck when the whistle blows at Red Bulls Arena. No, he's there to compete.

  Several European stars have received harsh welcomes to MLS. David Beckham, Messi's new boss at Inter Miami, was famously clattered by Jesse Marsch, sparking a melee between the LA Galaxy and Chivas USA. Messi will, no doubt, get a welcome-to-MLS moment, at one point or another, from a player on a far smaller salary than him.

  Tolkin isn't going to be two-footing Messi any time soon, though, and the hope is there are no brawls like the one between Beckham and Marsch. However, the Red Bulls fullback does say he plans on doing whatever it takes to slow Messi down.

  "He's like a god," Tolkin begins with a laugh, "but I want to get stuck in, you know what I'm saying? I've really been thinking about that, how to approach that, but in the end, I want to win. If I have to make a tackle or a tactical foul here or there, it's going to happen!"

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  An easy adjustment to American life

  One of the aspects of MLS that is so enticing is the draw of American life. For superstars of Messi's caliber, the U.S. is a place where he can find some form of normalcy. We've already seen one example of that, as Messi was recently spotted at a Publix grocery store in a scene that would have looked much different in Europe.

  While life in the U.S. can be so different than life in Europe, it can also offer players a unique feeling of home. That's what Atlanta United star Giorgos Giakoumakis has experienced since arriving from Celtic earlier this year.

  "The Greeks and Americans have many things in common," he said. "We share the same cultural things and everything from the lifestyle and their sense of humor about everything. You can imagine that I even struggled a little bit when I was back in Scotland, but here I don't feel that.

  "The people of the club also played their part because they helped me so much, so much. I will always be grateful to them because coming to other parts of the world is never easy. Even if you share the same culture, it's not easy, but they made it really easy for me and my family."

  Messi will benefit from those same aspects of American life. Miami, in particular, has a large South American population that should make the Argentine feel right at home. MLS, as a league, also has such a strong Argentinian influence that many clubs even hold asado barbecues for team bonding.

  Giakoumakis, meanwhile, has only limited experience with Greek cuisine in America as he's taking his time to enjoy the other food the U.S. has to offer.

  "I can tell you maybe yes. [the Greek food in the U.S. is good], and maybe you're gonna ask another Greek guy and he says no," the Atlanta United star said. "I don't think the quality is the same, like the proper Greek, but that's something really objective! I feel that I don't need to try Greek food across the country because I'm here to try something different, but wherever I'm back in Greece, I'm going to eat only Greek food. That's a fact!"

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  Get ready for the travel

  Ask any player, past or present, that has arrived in MLS what their least favorite part of it was and you'll likely get the same answer. They're going to say the travel.

  It's something that makes MLS unique because no other league in the world has to deal with anything like this. The trip from Miami to Vancouver, for example, is twice the distance from London to Moscow. North America is a big continent and, for many players, the travel schedule can be overwhelming.

  Fortunately for Messi, the league has gotten better with travel. He surely won't be sitting in economy seats next to the general public. Still, there's no way to make six or seven hour flights an exciting part of the job.

  "Oh, it's the travel," Giakoumakis said. "Not that much nowadays, but before, they didn't have any charters so they had to fly for like four days when they were playing away games! Especially like Atlanta to LA, it's a long flight."

  Messi is obviously used to long flights, having spent his entire career flying from Europe to South America for international games. Miami's location probably played some part in his decision, as it'll make the trips back to Argentina much easier as he looks to prolong his international career.

  It's not just the travel that will surprise Messi, though, but what he walks into once he lands.

The Blaugrana have won their first league title in three years on the back of a historic defence, but they have rarely excited the Camp Nou crowd

When Xavi accepted the Barcelona job in November 2021, he spoke of his deep connection to the club. He asserted he was a "Cule" through and through. He understood what the fans wanted. He knew all about the mandate of winning and impressing in the process. He referenced Johan Cruyff and Pep Guardiola. Most importantly, though, he emphasised his embodiment of "Barca DNA".

In his words, that meant a return to the glorious football of old. His side would not only win, he asserted, but they would look good doing so. That claim was a relief for a fanbase that had been subject to some poor and unsuccessful football under the stewardship of Ronald Koeman. Fans knew that this wouldn't be total football or Tiki-Taka, but it was supposed to be pretty.

Except, it hasn't been. Despite the 4-2 derby win over Espanyol that sealed the title, the Blaugrana are mostly drab and methodical. They are, as their results suggest, a very good team. They have wrapped up their first La Liga title in three years, and will likely be clear by double-digit points once all is said and done.

But they are more akin to a Jose Mourinho side than a Guardiola one. And although Xavi has delivered on the first principle of the job, his inability to do this all in the so-called Barca way suggests that the future might not be so exciting for the very fans Xavi set out to impress.

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  A strong spine

  Xavi does have to be given some credit. Barcelona have lacked a cohesive identity for some time, and at the beginning of this campaign, looked to be far behind defending champions and great rivals, Real Madrid. In a battle of pure footballing quality, at least in the Spanish sense, Barcelona were always going to lose.

  The manager has responded by adapting. He quickly realised that he cannot beat Madrid by trying to out-attack them. Instead, Barcelona are solid, difficult and pragmatic. They keep possession well, and have shown that they can play some eye-catching football in moments. But this is a team built on its strong spine and defensive excellence. The Blaugrana have only conceded two goals at home in La Liga all season, while goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has set the league record for clean sheets.

  Sergio Busquets, meanwhile, has endured something of a revival. After spending 18 months tracking back in a state of defensive recovery purgatory, he has been allowed to play deeper. The soon-to-depart club captain is simply being asked to intercept, tackle and pass. These are the things that he is very good at.

  The evolution of Gavi has certainly also helped. The reigning Golden Boy winner is a confusing player, mostly because he is the antithesis of the Barcelona legends he has been compared to. The midfielder has so easily been likened to the likes of Xavi and Andres Iniesta, but in reality, he's more like a shrunken, technically advanced Pepe.

  This is a player who flies into tackles, kicks opponents relentlessly, and spends 90 minutes being a pest. It makes for fascinating viewing, this buzzing presence being a complete nuisance. But it works, giving Barca a much-needed midfield bite.

  Even Robert Lewandowski offers a previously-missing physicality up front, the 6'1 Poland striker is unafraid to use his lanky limbs to bully centre-backs.

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  Improvement in unexpected areas

  Xavi's appointment was met with optimism for what it could mean for the development of Barcelona's attacking players. It figured to be key in the technical improvement of Gavi and Pedri, and perhaps revival of Frenkie de Jong's languishing tenure. And while all three have undoubtedly become more complete players, it is in defensive areas — Xavi's most obvious weakness as a player — that Barcelona have seen the most development.

  The most obvious beneficiary is Ronald Araujo. The Uruguay centre-back always had the physical tools to be a top-tier defender, but his instincts and technical ability had often been questioned. A patchy injury record, expiring contract and often uncomfortable relationship with passing the ball only added to the jeopardy. But he has since penned a new deal, stayed fit, and, far more importantly, become a markedly more composed player.

  Araujo is, by this point, comfortably one of the best in his position in Europe. His pace and athleticism make him able to deal with a more direct game, while his ever-improving distribution has been him become far more press-resistant than in his early Barca tenure. There was always potential here – Xavi has just unlocked it.

  The same can be said for Andreas Christensen. A player who Chelsea were willing to let go, Christensen has turned from a speculative free-agent signing to a keystone of this Barcelona back four. He certainly benefits from Araujo's defensive presence, but his complementary passing ability helps balance the duo with aplomb.

  There are, admittedly, some issues at the back. Youngster Alejandro Balde, so eager to get forward, is often susceptible to counter-attacks. Jules Kounde, a makeshift right-back, is often uncomfortable at the position — something he has openly acknowledged. Still, this is a back four, with Ter Stegen behind it, that has shown it is capable of winning a league.

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  Unrealiable going forward

  It is not necessarily a great betrayal of the club ethos to be good at the back. Barcelona have fielded some memorable defensive units over the years, and have been home to some of the best centre-backs in football history.

  But the Blaugrana aren't legendary for their ability to keep the ball out. The renewed global interest in the club brought about by Lionel Messi prime years and Guardiola's revolution was based on the principle of sublime attacking football. That's a burden that every Barcelona manager, including Xavi, has to deal with. It is, after all, impossible to recreate Messi-ball without Messi.

  As such, Xavi has tried to build a Barca attack in his own image. The results have been underwhelming. The arrival of Lewandowski last summer, in fact, saved what would have otherwise been a tepid attack.

  There is a formula here. The Blaugrana rely on the one-on-on trickery of Ousmane Dembele for goals and service out wide. They can also count on Pedri and De Jong to thread line-breaking passes. And even though Lewandowski has not matched the goalscoring rate that he set at Bayern Munich, his movement and finishing ability is still elite.

  But there are flaws, too. Barcelona lack a creative presence in the middle, and are often devoid of ideas when faced with the kind of low blocks that teams tend to deploy against them. There is also a lack of cohesion on the left wing. Although Balde makes plenty of lung-busting runs, he is yet to establish a true connection with either Lewandowski or whichever central midfielder Xavi employs on that side. On the right, Kounde is simply unable to offer much of an attacking option; he is still very much a central defender at heart.

  The result is a handful of low-scoring but comfortable affairs. Barcelona have won 14 La Liga games by one goal this season; they average fewer than two goals per game; and they have consistently scraped wins against bottom-half clubs. In short, they are a convincing side on the defensive end, but immensely uncertain at the other.

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  The solution?

  The natural response has been to turn where most of those associated with the club have turned to for the past two years. There is a real chance that Messi will be available to sign this summer, and despite the near-impossible financial task of creating space for his salary, it is possible that the World Cup winner could be playing at Camp Nou once again next season.

  And going after the best of all time to solve arguably Barca's biggest issue makes sense. Indeed, it is a logical reaction to bring in arguably the best creative player the game has ever seen to soothe one's attacking woes.

  But it is not, as Paris Saint-Germain have found, all that simple. Messi alone is no longer a guaranteed net positive as a player, especially in a side that already has its own collection of egos and personal priorities. He can, and will, do wonderful things, but it would require sacrifices of those around him.

  It is impossible, then, to piece together Xavi's allegedly pre-assembled tactical puzzle. And while the manager is a shrewd tactician, there is no obvious way to ensure balance while adding Messi to Barcelona's current attacking threats. There is every chance, then, that Messi will offer a spark, but that will certainly come to the detriment of others.

  The quality of football here is hard to predict. Still, there is no guarantee that Messi make Barcelona better as a whole — or even more watchable.

Arsenal handed Man City the advantage in the Premier League title race by drawing 3-3 with lowly Southampton on Friday

Advantage Manchester City! If Arsenal are going to win the Premier League title this season, they are now going to have to do it the hard way.

Mikel Arteta’s side may have shown good spirit to fight back with two late goals to salvage a 3-3 draw with Southampton on Friday night, but a draw against the Premier League’s bottom club simply won’t cut it at this stage of the season.

After dropping points against Liverpool and West Ham, Arsenal had to beat the Saints, especially with Wednesday night’s to Manchester City looming large.

But a chaotic display saw them needing goals from Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka in the last couple of minutes to avoid what would have been an embarrassing home defeat.

An awful error from Aaron Ramsdale gifted Carlos Alcaraz the opening goal inside 30 seconds and Theo Walcott made it 2-0 soon after. Gabriel Martinelli reduced the deficit, but a Duje Caleta-Car header midway through the second half restored Southampton’s two goal advantage.

Odegaard and Saka’s late strikes drew Arsenal level in the closing stages before Leandro Trossard struck the bar in stoppage time as the hosts went in search of what would have been a dramatic winner.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Emirates Stadium…

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  WINNER: Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli

  This has to be given jointly given what Arsenal’s two young wingers achieved against Southampton.

  When Saka got down the right and crossed for Martinelli to volley home in the first half, the duo became only the second pair of team-mates to hit 20+ goal involvements in a Premier League campaign.

  Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney are the only pair to have done it previously, way back in the 2006/07 season.

  It’s a superb achievement from Arsenal’s two exceptional young wingers in a season that has seen both of them set new heights in terms of consistency and output in the final third.

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  LOSER: Fabio Vieira

  When Granit Xhaka fell ill while at the team hotel ahead of the game, Mikel Arteta had to decide how to replace the Switzerland international.

  He opted for Fabio Vieira, bringing the Portuguese playmaker in as his left-sided No.8 alongside Martin Odegaard.

  Arteta had other options, he could have gone for Leandro Trossard, although the Belgium star is far more suited to a more attacking role, or he could have gone with the lesser-used Emile Smith Rowe.

  But Vieira got the nod despite some disappointing recent showings and it was not a decision that paid off.

  The summer signing from Porto again just looked lightweight and was unable to make any real impact on the game before was replaced by Trossard after just 56 minutes.

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  WINNER: Romeo Lavia

  You can certainly see why so many clubs are keen on the 19-year-old midfielder.

  Amid all the chaos of this bizarre contest, Lavia was the one real calm head at times, especially in the first half when he was exceptional in the heart of the midfield.

  The Belgium international was composed on the ball, drove Southampton forward when he could and frustrated Arsenal with his ability to turn over possession.

  Most expected Lavia to move on this summer, whether the Saints survive or not. On this evidence you can see why.

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  LOSER: Thomas Partey

  These are the games where Arsenal need their star players to perform, but instead most of them were well off the pace – with Thomas Partey the worst of the lot.

  The midfielder, so often the driving force of this young team, had a shocking night, producing arguably his worst performance of the season.

  Granit Xhaka’s absence could have been a reason why as Partey was certainly left isolated in the heart of midfield at times.

  But a player of his experience and quality should have been able to cope far better than he did.

  His touch and decision making was poor all night, with his wild late shot from distance which flew into the crowd the perfect example of that.

  It was a night to forget for Partey and for Arsenal.

How to watch England vs Ukraine in the Euro 2024 qualification stage from the US as well as kick-off time and team news.

England take on Ukraine in their second match of EURO 2024 qualification at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

⚽️ Where to watch England vs Ukraine

England kicked off their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign on a high as they beat reigning European champions Italy 2-1, with Harry Kane and Declan Rice finding the back of the net.

Ukraine, on the other hand, will begin their qualifying campaign against the Three Lions. Having failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, this will be the team's first international match since Nations League clash against Scotland in September 2022.

GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the Euro 2024 qualifier fixture England vs Ukraine, plus team news, recent form and more.

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  Kick-off time

  Date:	March 26, 2023
  Kick-off time:	12pm ET
  Venue:	Wembley Stadium

  The game is scheduled for March 26, 2023 at Wembley Stadium. It will kick off at 12 pm ET in the US.

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  How to watch England vs Ukraine online – TV channels & live streams

  TV channels & streaming options

  Country	TV channel	Live stream
  U.S.	Fox Sports	Fubo, VIX+

  In the U.S., the match can be streamed on Fuboand VIX+.

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  Team news & squads

  Ukraine team news

  For Ukraine, Bournemouth centre-back Ilya Zabarnyi will be unavailable for selection alongside midfielder Oleksandr Zubkov as they are both out injured.

  Former West Ham man Andriy Yarmolenko is also out with an injury.

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers:	Andriy Lunin, Anatoly Trubin, Nikita Shevchenko
  Defenders:	Oleksandr Karavaev, Denys Popov, Mykola Matvienko, Vitaly Mykolenko, Eduard Sobol, Oleksandr Svatok, Eduard Sarapiy, Denis Miroshnichenko
  Midfielders:	Taras Stepanenko, Georgy Sudakov, Artem Bondarenko, Serhiy Sydorchuk, Vitaly Buyalskyi, Oleksandr Pikhalyonok, Krakow
  Forwards:	Roman Yaremchuk, Artem Dovbyk

  England team news

  Marcus Rashford, Mason Mount and Nick Pope pulled out from the England camp due to injuries and will play no part against Ukraine.

  Luke Shaw was shown a red card in the game against Italy and will miss the game on Sunday while Reece James is ruled out of the clash due to an injury.

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers:	Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale
  Defenders:	Ben Chilwell, Eric Dier, Marc Guehi, Harry Maguire, John Stones, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker
  Midfielders:	Jude Bellingham, Conor Gallagher, Jordan Henderson, James Maddison, Kalvin Phillips, Declan Rice
  Forwards:	Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Ivan Toney

  Head-to-head record

  Date	Result	Competition
  July 4, 2021	Ukraine 0-4 England	Euro 2020
  September 11, 2013	Ukraine 0-0 England	World Cup Qualifiers
  September 12, 2012	England 1-1 Ukraine	World Cup Qualifiers
  June 20, 2012	England 1-0 Ukraine	Euro 2012
  October 10, 2009	Ukraine 1-0 England	World Cup Qualifiers

  England are unbeaten against Ukraine in their last four meetings, which includes a 4-0 win in the quarter-final of Euro 2020. The last time Ukraine beat the Three Lions was back in 2009 in a World Cup qualifying game.

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  Useful links

  • Ukraine team page

  • England team page

  • Live soccer on TV in the U.S.

  • Where to watch England's EURO 2024 qualifiers

  • James withdraws from England squad

Eddie Nketiah answered Arsenal's call once again in the absence of Gabriel Jesus, netting a brace in a 3-0 FA Cup third round win at Oxford United.

Three second-half goals saw an under-par Arsenal past Oxford United to set up a mouth-watering FA Cup fourth round clash with Manchester City at the end of the month.

Mikel Arteta made seven changes for the clash against the League One side at the Kassam Stadium and the Premier League leaders struggled as a result, failing to muster a single shot on target in the first half.

But they improved massively after the interval, with Fabio Vieira producing two excellent assists to break the resistance of the hosts. The first was a fine free-kick, which was headed home by Mohamed Elneny and the second was a delightful through ball for Eddie Nketiah, who rounded Oxford keeper Ed McGinty to make it 2-0.

There was still time for Nketiah to add his second of the game, dinking a fine finish over the onrushing McGinty following Gabriel Martinelli's ball through.

In the end it was a convincing win for Arsenal, albeit after a very poor first-half display. But an injury sustained by Bukayo Saka, who seemed to pull up with 15 minutes remaining, will be a major concern ahead of Sunday's crucial north London derby at Tottenham.

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  The Winners

  Winner: Mohamed Elneny

  His first goal since 2021 and he gets a catchy new song from the away fans. It was a good night for Mohamed Elneny. You know what you are going to get from the Egypt international whenever he plays. He may not be the most spectacular of players, but he never lets Arsenal down when he is called upon and that's exactly why the club extended his deal at the end of last season. It was his goal that finally broke the Oxford resistance and opened the floodgates. It was the crucial moment of the game.

  Winner: Eddie Nketiah

  Two more goals for Nketiah will give his confidence another boost. Both were excellent finishes and will have been exactly what he was hoping for ahead of the north London derby this weekend. Nketiah now has four goals in four games since coming into the side to replace Gabriel Jesus and Arteta can't ask for much more than that.

  Winner: Fabio Vieira

  This was a strange game for Vieira. He was very ordinary in the first half, struggling to get into the game at all. So much so that it would have been no surprise to see Arteta replace him with Martin Odegaard for the second period. But he kept faith with Vieira and he was rewarded after the interval, with the Portuguese playmaker stepping up with two crucial assists, first for Elneny and then for Nketiah. They were two moments of class that highlighted Vieira's ability. The challenge for him now is showing that quality on a far more consistent basis.

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  The Losers

  Loser: Albert Sambi Lokonga

  This was another chance wasted for Albert Sambi Lokonga to make his mark in an Arsenal shirt. The Belgian midfielder has been at the club for 18 months now and it's still tough to work out exactly what he brings to the team. He's had plenty of opportunities to put some pressure on the more regular starters in midfield, yet is no closer to the starting XI now than he was when he first joined in the summer of 2021. He's neat and tidy when in possession, but he's yet to show he has much more to his game at either end of the pitch.

  Loser: Bukayo Saka

  The sight of Bukayo Saka limping off with 15 minutes remaining was a major worry ahead of the north London derby this weekend. It had been a frustrating night for Saka anyway up to that point, but the injury will now cast a bit of a cloud over the preparations for this weekend's game. He was holding the back of his leg while he was down receiving treatment and was not moving comfortably at all as he trudged round the pitch after being replaced by Emile Smith Rowe. Saka's fitness will now be a big concern for Mikel Arteta.

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  Arsenal Ratings: Defence

  Matt Turner (6/10):

  Comfortable night's work. Had very little to do.

  Takehiro Tomiyasu (6/10):

  Didn't offer much going forward, but solid at the back.

  Rob Holding (7/10):

  Never really looked under pressure.

  Gabriel Magalhaes (7/10):

  Solid, winning plenty of aerial duels. Played in second gear.

  Kieran Tierney (6/10):

  Never really got into the game down the left, other than making a couple of overlaps.

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  Midfield

  Mohamed Elneny (7/10):

  Scored the crucial opener to get things moving.

  Sambi Lokonga (5/10):

  Disappointing. No impact at all.

  Fabio Vieira (7/10):

  Two fine assists in the second half.

Graham Roberts has told Tottenham to sell Tanguy Ndombele, who he believes isn’t cut out for the Premier League.

The Frenchman arrived with a huge weight of expectation on his shoulders following his club-record move from Lyon back in the summer of 2019, when Mauricio Pochettino was manager.

But Ndombele has often struggled to deal with the pace of the English game, and whilst he was a regular under Jose Mourinho last season, is yet to consistently replicate the form he showed for Lyon which earned him his move to north London.

Ndombele contributed 10 goals last season in his 46 matches, but only managed to complete 90 minutes on nine occasions, and Roberts has raised question marks over the 24-year-old midfielder.

He exclusively told Football FanCast:

“I just don’t think the Premier League is made for him. He’s not quick enough, not powerful enough to get through the games.

“He’s ok for 20-25 minutes, but you put him in it for 90 minutes, he can’t handle it. I would sell him and get somebody who can play that role. Nobody knows his best position.”

Ndombele’s situation is a tricky one for Spurs.

On one hand, they’ve got an extremely talented midfielder with many more years ahead of him, but on the other he simply isn’t consistent enough, especially for someone that is carrying a hefty transfer fee.

With that in mind, if Daniel Levy gets a bid somewhere close to what he arrived for, cashing in on him might be sensible business from Tottenham.

Your votes have been counted and we can now confirm the overall winner of the men's GOAL50 2022!

GOAL50 is an annual award that gives fans the power to rank the 50 best footballers in the world over the previous 12 months.

This year GOAL50 featured three categories of players to vote on. In addition to the Men and Women categories, we added a special once-off World Cup Wonders category to pay tribute to the tournament legends of the past.

GOAL50 employs a unique voting system that sees fans voting on a series of head-to-head clashes between players in each category.

There were 2,450 possible player match-ups in each category, and the players with the most victories have now been crowned the GOAL50 2022 winners.

Here are the final standings, and the overall winner, of the Men's GOAL50 2022!

• GOAL
  

  1Lionel Messi – PSG & Argentina

  The years roll on but Messi's class and his place among the best players on the planet have never been in question. He registred double figures for goals and assists in Ligue 1 last term, winning the title in the process, and lit up the World Cup with the kind of genius that convince many he's the greatest to ever touch a football.

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  2Neymar – PSG & Brazil

  At 30, Neymar remains one of the planet's most breathtaking talents, with his ability to beat opponents, flummox defenders with his twinkle toes, or make decisive contributions in the final third ensuring he's received heavy backing from GOAL50 voters. The Brazil superstar has already had a hand in 20 goals in 14 Ligue 1 games this season.

• GOAL
  

  3Erling Haaland – Manchester City & Norway

  Haaland's impact in the Premier League since signing for Manchester City for a bargain £51 million in the summer has been frightening, with the 22-year-old already striking 18 league goals in 13 league games including three hat-tricks. Expect Haaland to continue terrorising Prem defences in 2023.

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  4Karim Benzema – Real Madrid & France

  Benzema's exploits with Real Madrid last season earned the 34-year-old a Ballon d'Or—the award's oldest winner since 1954 – with a 17-minute hat-trick against Paris Saint-Germain en route to the Champions League title being one of several highlights. Injury cost the veteran the chance to spearhead France's World Cup campaign.