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Manchester United earned their first Premier League point of November with a 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge over the weekend.

Interim manager Michael Carrick made the bold call to drop five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo from the starting lineup, and his decision was arguably justified.

The Red Devils attempted to press in the early stages but soon dropped back behind the ball as the hosts took control of proceedings in a closely-fought encounter.

Chelsea couldn’t find a way through United’s stubborn defence, though, and the game hinged on two pivotal moments.

Jorginho’s miss control from a hoofed clearance allowed Jadon Sancho to race through on goal unchallenged before cooly slotting past Edouard Mendy, before Aaron Wan-Bissaka brought down Thiago Silva in the box, allowing the defensive midfielder to make amends from the penalty spot.

However, things could have been even better for the 20-time English champions if their midfield talisman hadn’t been so sloppy in possession and anonymous in the final third.

Bruno Fernandes had an afternoon to forget in west London, failing to impact proceedings in a positive manner and continuing his recent run of poor form.

As per SofaScore, the Portugal international received a match rating of just 6.3 out of 10, the lowest total awarded to any of his teammates who started the fixture.

And when taking a closer look at his underlying numbers, it’s easy to understand why. Fernandes failed to have a single shot on target throughout the 89 minutes he was on the pitch, was unable to play a solitary key pass and lost possession a whopping 15 times.

He also lost nine of his 15 duels (60%), made an error leading to an opposition shot and ended the game with a passing accuracy of just 78%, letting Carrick down in the process.

Manchester Evening News reporter Samuel Luckhurst was equally unimpressed with the 27-year-old’s underwhelming showing, awarding a measly three out of 10.

“Michael Carrick put the wrong Portuguese on the bench. Fernandes’ hoik led to the breakthrough but required assistance from Jorginho,” wrote Luckhurst.

With new manager Ralf Rangnick expected to be formally announced over the coming days, Fernandes will be desperate to return to form as soon as possible, or he could find himself on the sidelines once again over the coming weeks.

And, in other news…Predicted XI: How MUFC may look under Rangnick after potential £196.5m spending spree

The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece has delivered a promising update on the future of Aston Villa starlet Carney Chukwuemeka.

What’s the story?

The 18-year-old has been involved in the past two Premier League games for Steven Gerrard’s side this season, and now, Preece has claimed that he still expects Chukwuemeka to commit his future to the club.

He said: “A fantastic point; it was all set to be done but Smith wasn’t bringing him on in games prior to him leaving. Pressure was mounting at that time. Carney’s reps said they were in no rush knowing his current deal runs to 2023. I was the reporter who asked Gerrard about his situation last week post-Man City and his reaction was telling, as if he had a direct message to Carney’s agents saying to keep quiet and let him get on with his footy.

“I still expect Carney to commit, though.”

Villa fans will be buzzing

Given that reports from earlier this year had suggested that some of the biggest clubs both in the Premier League and from abroad were keeping an eye on Chukwuemeka’s contract situation at Villa Park, news that he is still expected to put pen to paper on a new deal is sure to leave Villa fans buzzing.

In fact, speaking after he made an appearance against Manchester City, Gerrard himself said: “I think we just need to let the kid play football, let him evolve, let him grow. I think we’ve shown what we think of the kid (on Wednesday night), shown our belief and confidence in him at this level of game.

“But we believe this is the right place for him and if anyone else thinks it’s not I’d like to sit in front of them and discuss that because he’s a local lad and he’s enjoying it. He’s enjoyed the last two weeks – I spoke to him face-to-face and we’ve told him that if he keeps performing he’ll be very much part of the first team set-up so I don’t foresee a problem and I certainly don’t want a problem to brew in the background. And, for me, I don’t think it will.”

With the teenager now being given more of a taste of first-team football under Gerrard, there really isn’t any more reason for Chukwuemeka to feel he would be better served by leaving for elsewhere.

He is an exceptional talent, once dubbed as one of the best in his age group in the country by Christian Purslow and his underlying numbers reveal why.

In just five Premier League 2 appearances this term, he has registered two goals and two assists while his ten strikes and eight goals in only 28 outings for the U18 side is something to be marvelled at.

With those statistics in mind, it’s clear that the teenager possesses an abundant amount of potential, meaning if he does stay in the Midlands, the Villa Park faithful will be delighted.

Meanwhile, Ashley Preece has dropped an Aston Villa transfer update…

Ralf Rangnick’s revolution at Manchester United has got off to a promising if unspectacular start and the January transfer window could be another significant step in their development.

A 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace in the German tactician’s opening game in charge was followed up by securing another three points against Norwich City by the same scoreline a week later.

United’s draw with BSC Young Boys in their Champions League dead rubber was sandwiched between those results, but their 11 changes meant the starting lineup didn’t allow for many significant lessons to be taught.

However, what has already become clear during Rangnick’s short reign is his desired style of play and philosophy that he’s attempted to implement in the red half of Manchester.

Against Palace, in particular, the 63-year-old’s preferred 4-2-2-2 shape and Gegenpressing system was evident for all to see.

United won back possession of the ball 12 times in the final third of the pitch – not only a record number for the Red Devils this season but since Opta began recording such data – while the midfield, inside forwards and two strikers were all extremely compact.

“The amount of times that you saw Manchester United in possession but in that very narrow shape was incredible,” said Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville in his post-match analysis. “That is all to stop the counter-attack.”

But the below-par performance against Norwich brought United back down to earth and highlighted just how much work Rangnick has got to do before he makes them competitive again.

And in order to compete for football’s biggest prizes, the ‘Godfather of German coaching’ may have to dip into the transfer market over the winter window.

One player who has been linked with a move to Old Trafford in RB Leipzig’s £60,000-per-week star Amadou Haidara.

According to The Mirror, Rangnick could sanction a deal for the box-to-box dynamo after previously signing him from Red Bull Salzburg for Leipzig back in January 2019.

Haidara’s current contract with the Bundesliga giants is believed to contain a £33m release clause, meaning a move to the red half of Manchester could be relatively straightforward.

After bringing the midfield gem to the Red Bull Arena from sister club Salzburg, Rangnick made no effort to hide his pleasure at the 23-year-old’s arrival, lauding the engine room operator’s quality.

“We’re delighted to have signed Amadou,” he told the club’s official website upon his unveiling (as relayed by Bundesliga.com).

“We’ve been following his progress in Salzburg, as he’s developed into an absolutely exceptional player there. There aren’t many players his age with so much potential. He has all the requirements to follow in Naby Keita’s footsteps.”

Signing the defensive-minded Haidara would bring an element of balance and control to the middle of the pitch that United have been desperately lacking for a number of years.

As per FBref.com, The Mali international has averaged 0.96 tackles won per 90 this term, 6.60 successful pressures, 2.23 blocks and 0.85 interceptions this term.

The cover that Haidara would provide Bruno Fernandes – who has scored 45 goals and provided 34 assists in 102 appearances for United – would make for a scary duo in the middle of the pitch.

Therefore, United must carefully consider a move for the robust youngster this January, providing Rangnick with the tools he needs to drag the 20-time English champions back to their previous perch.

And, in other news…“As things stand”: Fabrizio Romano drops MUFC transfer update that’ll have fans gutted 

Leeds United will make an offer for Napoli midfielder Eljif Elmas in January, according to journalist Talha Arslan.

The Lowdown: Elmas profiled

Elmas is primarily a central midfielder who can also play in an attacking midfield role or as a left-winger. The 22-year-old has 37 caps to his name for North Macedonia and has been with Napoli since 2019.

He’s turned out on 105 occasions for the Italian side and has scored 22 goals during his club career.

And it now seems as if the Whites and director of football Victor Orta are plotting a January swoop for the £15.3m-rated midfielder.

The Latest: Leeds to make ‘offer’

Journalist Arslan took to Twitter on Tuesday evening to provide an update on Elmas ahead of the January transfer window.

He claimed that both the Whites and Borussia Dortmund made an attempt to sign the Napoli man over the summer and will now send an ‘offer’ during the winter window.

The Verdict: Two needed…

Leeds haven’t actually signed a midfielder on a permanent deal during Marcelo Bielsa’s time at Elland Road, but it seems as if they now need two over the coming weeks with Kalvin Phillips and Jamie Shackleton injured.

Orta is already laying the groundwork to sign a number six and number eight, and you’d expect Elmas would fit into the number eight category.

He’s capable of playing in a more advanced role and even out wide if needed and also has experience in both the Champions League and Europa League.

On paper, it seems as if Elmas could be a shrewd signing both in the short and long term. He has plenty of games under his belt in ‘astronomical’ asking price.

In other news: ‘Unbelievable’ Leeds man may now need an operation after injury and could miss 12 games – expert. 

Wolves centre-back Willy Boly could potentially be out of action for another six weeks with a calf problem, according to injury expert Ben Dinnery.

The Lowdown: Boly out injured

Wanderers have defended well this season, conceding just 14 goals in 18 Premier League matches, but the Ivory Coast international has been unable to play a key part in his team’s campaign.

While Max Kilman, Conor Coady and Romain Saiss have generally been Bruno Lage’s go-to back-three, the 30-year-old has not played a minute of league action this term. Boly has been suffering from a calf issue as well as the longstanding effects of a viral infection, and his return to the fold doesn’t appear to be edging any closer.

The Latest: Dinnery gives worrying update

Speaking to Football Insider, Dinnery suggested that Boly could now be unavailable into February, as he provided a bleak update on the defender’s situation. He revealed:

“There is good indication that we are looking at a grade-two injury scenario. That is a minimum of three weeks but there is no indication or suggestion that he needs surgery.

“He’s had a bit of a nightmare this season. I would say that we are probably looking at something like four to six weeks. He hasn’t played any Premier League minutes this season. It’s that culmination of having no football and working your way back.

“It’s difficult. That will certainly come into consideration when Bruno Lage is thinking about bringing back into that squad.”

The Verdict: Big blow for Boly

Boly has been such a key figure for Wolves until this season, making 137 appearances and winning more headers per game (2.7) than any of his team-mates last term, so it is cruel to see him being robbed of playing time in 2021/22.

However, at the age of 30, it could be that the defender struggles to come back in as the key figure he once was, especially given the fine performances of Kilman, Coady and Saiss, even if Molineux legend Steve Bull hailed him as an “unbelievable player” back in October.

Squad depth is vital, so Boly’s eventual return to fitness could play an important role in their quest for European football next season, especially if another defender gets injured.

In other news, Luke Hatfield has made a Wolves January transfer claim. Read more here.

A key Rangers prediction has been made regarding Alfredo Morelos’ future at Ibrox…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Ben Wild has suggested that the Colombian may attempt to make a move south of the border in the January transfer window.

He told Football Insider, via This is Futbol: “Money talks at Rangers. And we know about their financial problems, we’ve covered Rangers pretty extensively here at Football Insider and they posted significant losses for the past 12 months – as a lot of clubs did, to be fair.

“So I think the money will be there. We know Morelos has been angling for a Premier League move for a while. He’d done an interview, hadn’t he, and said ‘I want to play in the Premier League’, so maybe he could try and force something through if the bid came in.”

Fans will be fuming

Rangers fans will surely be fuming with this claim as it suggests that Morelos is prepared to fight for a transfer to be completed next month. Having their top scorer demand a move midway through the season would be a major blow for the Gers, which is why supporters will be frustrated with these comments.

There is no shying away from how important Morelos is to the team. The 25-year-old has chipped in with eight goals and four assists in the Premiership this term, along with two goals in four starts in the group stages of the Europa League.

He has scored 107 goals in 211 games overall in his Rangers career, including 62 goals in 127 Premiership matches for the club. This shows that he is a proven goalscorer at this level and selling him would be a huge blow to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s squad.

Former Finland international Aki Riihilahti previously lauded the attacker. He told The Athletic: “You could see he was a fighter. He was never shocked by anything, he just adapted. It was immediately obvious that he was way more talented and was a unique player in that even if he was having an off game, he was still dangerous. He was brutally ruthless.”

These comments highlight both Morelos’ ability and mentality as a player, with the bulldozer putting the work in on the pitch as a ‘fighter’. This is another reason why fans will surely be fuming to see him leave, as he is someone who can provide quality and work rate for the Gers.

It is now down to Ross Wilson to work his magic in the market by keeping him at Ibrox for the rest of the season at least in order to give Van Bronckhorst the best chance of achieving success.

AND in other news, Paid £0, now worth £5.85m: Allen pulled off Rangers masterstroke with “unique” wizard… 

Everton’s new signings Nathan Patterson and Vitaliy Mykolenko could be in line for their Toffees debuts on Saturday evening as the Blues travel to Championship outfit Hull City.

What’s the latest?

Everton manager Rafa Benitez has revealed that the two new signings could make their debuts against the Tigers on Saturday as the Spaniard’s side look to put together a cup run.

On potentially giving the signings their debuts, the 61-year-old said: “We know both players well and know the potential. Both players showed they want to do well.

“Are they ready? We will see. Today [Friday] we have another training session. If you have to play them, they can play.

“Maybe they can start, maybe one of them, maybe both. They’ve been 15 days without training so we have to consider if they’re fit enough.”

Everton fans will be buzzing

Patterson (Rangers) and Mykolenko (Dynamo Kiev) arrived at Goodison Park over the last week and will bolster Benitez’s full-back options with the former a right-back and the latter a left-back.

Moreover, both have the potential to be long-term servants to the Merseyside club, with Mykolenko being 22-years-old and Patterson 20 and signing deals until 2026 and 2027 respectively.

There has been particular attention on Everton’s left-back predicament, with Lucas Digne expected to leave Goodison Park this transfer window, with Sky Sports reporting that the Frenchman has told Everton that he wants to leave this window.

The club was in desperate need to find a left-back replacement before Digne was allowed to depart and Mykolenko will be able to provide that option.

Everton fans will also be desperate for a good result against Hull to kick-start a run in the FA Cup with the club enduring an underwhelming start to the season in the Premier League.

In other news, Everton linked with promising midfielder…

Manchester United have not been active in the January transfer window in terms of new signings as of yet, but they have been linked with a number of players over the last few weeks, and the Red Devils seemingly lead the race in signing one Serie A star.

What’s the word?

According to Italian news outlet La Repubblica, United are in ‘pole position’ to sign Napoli midfielder Fabian Ruiz ahead of Liverpool and Arsenal, who are also rumoured to be interested in securing his signature.

The report suggests that the Serie A club would be interested in selling the 25-year-old, with his contract expiring in 2023 and doubts as to whether he will sign a new deal, giving Ralf Rangnick the opportunity to swoop in for him either this month or in the summer.

United have identified midfield as a key area to improve upon, with the likes of Declan Rice and Denis Zakaria already linked with a move to Old Trafford.

Imagine him & Bruno

Ruiz joined Napoli from Real Betis in 2018 and has scored 20 goals and bagged 13 assists over the last three-and-a-half years for the Azzurri.

This season alone, the 6 foot 2 beast has scored five goals and set up his Napoli teammates three times in 20 appearances, which is impressive for a central midfielder and will have definitely caught the eye of the German coach back at Old Trafford, who will be looking for players who can provide a diverse skillset in his midfield to work alongside Bruno Fernandes.

The £48k-p/w star clearly offers a lot in an attacking sense, while according to SofaScore he is also reliable defensively, with a 92% pass accuracy and losing possession just 8.2 times per game. Comparing that to some of the regular starting midfielders at United, Fred has lost possession 11.6 times on average with an 83% pass accuracy this season, while Fernandes has an embarrassing average loss of possession 18.1 times per game and a pass accuracy of 76%.

It’s clear that Ruiz, who was hailed as “agile” by Hoffenheim defender Diadie Samassekou, can provide an upgrade when it comes to delivering passes accurately to build play and holding the ball in his possession much better than those currently starting in Rangnick’s side.

As a result, he could work well with Fernandes, allowing the latter to be more free-flowing in his preferred attacking role as the Spaniard covers the more defensive aspects of midfield, forming a scary duo which could cause problems for the opposition.

With Liverpool and Arsenal both speculated to be interested in the 25-year-old and currently in a much better position in the Premier League right now, Rangnick will have to work fast to ensure that Ruiz becomes a United player in the summer, instead of losing out on him to a major domestic rival.

In other news: Rangnick could make his first huge Old Trafford mistake if he allows one thing to happen

West Ham are considering a late January move for Marseille centre-back Duje Caleta-Car, according to a report by The Athletic’s David Ornstein.

The Lowdown: Moyes’ defensive hunt

The Hammers’ centre-back ranks have been depleted by the season-ending injury sustained by Angelo Ogbonna, as the defender suffered a cruciate ligament rupture at the start of November.

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David Moyes’ hunt for a replacement was exacerbated when Kurt Zouma suffered a hamstring injury in early December, which kept him out of action for nearly six weeks, seeing him miss the congested Christmas period.

This left just two senior centre-backs available for selection in Craig Dawson and Issa Diop. However, the Frenchman has struggled in recent weeks, so it’s little wonder that the Irons are seeking reinforcements in that position.

The Latest: West Ham considering move for Caleta-Car

As per Ornstein for The Athletic, West Ham are weighing up a move for £14.4m-rated Croatian centre-back Caleta-Car.

The Irons are said to want a loan move whilst Marseille are likely to demand a sale, with the 6 foot 4 defender in contract with the Ligue 1 club until the end of next season.

The 25-year-old has previously been linked with a move to the Premier League. In last January’s transfer window, the Croatia international was set to join Liverpool after an agreement was made on deadline day, but the deal ultimately fell through due to defensive concerns at the Stade Velodrome.

The Verdict: A good signing for the Irons

Caleta-Car joined Marseille in 2018 for a £17.1m fee and has since impressed in Ligue 1, having also amassed 20 international caps for Croatia. However, the defender has struggled for game-time this season, having made only 11 appearances in Ligue 1 and three starts in Marseille’s Europa League campaign.

He could certainly help West Ham in terms of playing out of the back, averaging a 92.1% passing success rate in Ligue 1 this term. No Irons defender can match that return, with only Manuel Lanzini (92.3%) bettering it among Moyes’ senior squad.

Caleta-Car has been subjected to criticism in recent months, with Marseille legend Manuel Amoros last year calling him “sluggish”, having been convinced that the Croatian’s failed move to Liverpool was affecting his performances on the pitch.

However, if Moyes finds a way to push him beyond this mentality and get him playing to his best once again, then this could be a very shrewd signing for the Hammers if they can pull it off in the closing days of the transfer window.

In other news: Reliable journalist makes transfer claim over this potential Irons target

This has not been a spectacular first transfer window for Antonio Conte at Tottenham with Fabio Paratici struggling to convince a number of the club’s top targets to join the north London club.

However, with the hours and days now ticking by as we edge ever closer to the deadline, the Lilywhites could still make a few acquisitions.

What’s the word?

Spurs have turned their attentions to Italian football over the last 24 hours with Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur believed to be targets.

However, it’s another of their players who they could sign ‘immediately’ according to reports in Spain.

The man in question is Alvaro Morata who is currently enjoying a stint on loan in Turin from Atletico Madrid.

However, another route could be offered out of the Spanish capital for the ex-Chelsea man via Marca. They suggest that ‘Newcastle and Tottenham have been interested in the striker and they can close an operation immediately if Juve opens the door to the striker.’

Controversial signing

The addition of Morata would be wise from the perspective that it would finally give Conte a back up to Harry Kane, but it would also be controversial due to his recent history.

After all, this is a forward who is far from prolific in front of goal, becoming notorious for his lack of composure inside the penalty area.

He scored just 12 times in 34 outings for Atletico in 2019/20 and then bagged only 11 goals in 32 matches for Juve last term. Then, as a result of his form at the Euros last summer, Gary Neville launched a scathing attack on his abilities, saying: “He’s got that vulnerable look about him, almost like he needs a cuddle.”

A war of words with Mauricio Pochettino back in 2017 may also not lend himself too well to Spurs fans.

The Argentine was thought to be interested in signing him a number of years ago but claimed the Spain international wasn’t keen on playing second fiddle.

The former Spurs boss once commented: “He said to me: ‘Why do you want me if you have Harry Kane?’

“You know, if you go to try to sign a striker, they will say: ‘Eh gaffer, you want me for what?
“‘To be on the bench? Because it’s Harry Kane, I cannot compete with Harry Kane or Hugo Lloris or different players.'”
This doesn’t exactly paint a promising picture of his potential arrival in London this winter but pivotally, he does have experience of English football with Chelsea, being labelled an “assassin” by Rio Ferdinand.
The £31.5m-rated attacker’s knowledge of the Premier League may just be enough to convince the club of a late swoop.

AND in other news, Talks opened: Conte could form frightening Spurs unit by signing £40.5m-rated “beast”…