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Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been slammed for his dismal display in the recent defeat at Stamford Bridge against Aston Villa.

Does Potter trust Mudryk?

The Ukrainian was awarded a start in Saturday's Premier League clash as his struggles in a Chelsea shirt continue since his big-money move to the club in January.

Mudryk has now been handed seven appearances in the English top flight and has only been able to return one assist over the course of his 319 minutes in the league (via Transfermarkt).

The winger lasted 59 minutes at the Bridge on Saturday before being hooked off by Graham Potter for another January addition in Noni Madueke.

His display saw Tony Cascarino rip into the £97k-per-week winger on talkSPORT as he suggested he had no idea what was going on around him whilst on the pitch:

(0:40) "Look, they've got great individuals. Look at [Joao] Felix he's a great technical player. There's no doubt he's got the lot, you know, [Kai] Havertz can produce moments. Will he be the long-term [option]? No, I don't quite see that, but I still think he has a role to play at Chelsea.

'You know, but you look at Mudryk, come in and wow, you know, he had a couple of chances, didn't take him that happens. But since he's come, he's looked like he hasn't got a clue what's happening around him."

How bad was Mudryk against Villa?

The 22-year-old had an afternoon to forget on Saturday as the Blues slumped to a disappointing defeat against a side that would not typically be viewed as a competitor in the league.

However, as a result of Chelsea's issues this season, the defeat took Unai Emery's men above Chelsea and push Potter's side down into the bottom half of the table.

And it was not as if Mudryk wasn't handed opportunities during the game, the Ukrainian squandered two huge opportunities to put Chelsea on the scoreboard.

Perhaps the most damning statistic to come out of the game was that Mudryk only recorded 21 touches of the ball despite being on the pitch for practically an hour (via SofaScore).

Out of the two dribbles he attempted during the game, he failed to beat his man on either occasion and gave away two fouls during his display in west London.

Over the international break, Madueke – who replaced Mudryk – shone for England U21s having netted and provided two assists during a brief cameo off the bench against France U21s (via Transfermarkt).

On the back of such a poor display for Mudryk, it will be interesting to see whether interim manager Bruno Saltor looks to make a change on the wing ahead of their game on Tuesday against Liverpool.

Former Aston Villa forward and pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has been reacting to the club’s reported interest in Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

What’s Agbonlahor had to say on Villa possibly signing Phillips?

Villa have seemingly been long-term admirers of Phillips which dates back to 2019 when he was with Leeds United in the Championship. Those at Villa Park were even looking at a move for the England international last summer, but as we know, he ended up moving to the Etihad Stadium.

Things haven’t exactly gone to plan for Phillips in Manchester, though, with the player yet to start a Premier League match this season. That has led to rumours of an exit this summer, with Villa once again showing a strong interest in a possible club record £45m transfer. It is thought that Unai Emery is after a “top-class signing capable of running the midfield”, and the Spaniard feels the 27-year-old fits the bill.

However, talking to Football Insider, Agbonlahor feels that Phillips would struggle to get into Emery’s first-choice XI, believing Boubacar Kamara “is a better player”.

“To be honest, I don’t think he starts. I think Kamara is a better player. “We’ve also got Luiz, Ramsey, McGinn. I think Villa are ok in central midfield, I really do.

“I don’t think Phillips starts in our midfield. With the price Man City would want for him, £45million – I just can’t see Villa being interested and following through with a deal.”

Should Villa look elsewhere?

As Agbonlahor mentions, Villa currently have a number of solid midfield options, players which Emery is getting the best out of which has resulted in a late push for European football.

NSWE are ready to back the manager with a “huge” budget which could involve the club record for a transfer being smashed, but writing a big cheque for Phillips could be a gamble given he has played just 390 minutes all season.

A new versatile midfielder could be of use to bolster Emery's ranks, with Valencia’s Andre Almeida another who has been linked with a move to the Midlands. The 22-year-old would provide a more attacking option over Phillips, with the Portuguese ace primarily a central midfielder who can turn out further forward or on the right.

However, a move for Phillips looks like it will once again be one to keep an eye on in what could be a busy few months ahead of Emery’s first full season.

Manchester United are still thought to be interested in signing Barcelona youngster Ansu Fati this summer, according to a fresh transfer update.

Is Fati heading out of Barcelona?

The 20-year-old burst onto the scene as a huge talent at Barca, and while he remains an enormous prospect currently, his stock has arguably fallen a little in recent years. Having been seen as possibly the star of the club's future, the likes of Pedri and Gavi have emerged as more important players this season, with the winger finding his game time limited overall.

Granted, Fati has still managed 25 La Liga appearances in 2022/23 to date, but only 10 of those have been starts, with Xavi seemingly not considering him a key man. For that reason, the Spaniard has been linked with a move away from Camp Nou once the summer transfer window arrives and United have emerged as one of the front-runners to snap him up.

The Red Devils will surely look to make significant attacking reinforcements come the end of the season, with a big-name centre forward needed, as well as more competition for playing time out wide.

Now, it further looks as though Fati could be a genuine United summer target, with a new transfer claim emerging.

Is youngster joining United?

According to Sport [via Sport Witness], lots of clubs are interested in signing Fati this summer, but "‘especially Manchester United", suggesting that they are the favourites to snap him up. Barca could be willing to sell him, in order to receive huge money for his services, although the player himself may ideally rather stay up, as long as he was given assurances over his importance moving forward.

No other rival competitors are specifically mentioned in the report, so United appear to be in a healthy position with regard to getting their man.

Fati could be an inspired signing by the Reds if they manage to seal a summer move for him, considering his long-term potential and the fact that he has already made 98 appearances for Barca, not to mention scoring 26 at the same time. He has been hailed as "spectacular" by Xavi, and at just 20, he still has so much maturing to do as a player.

The only slight issue he could have is the fact that he plays in the same left-sided role as Marcus Rashford, so fitting him in could be tricky, although he could be viewed as a superior option to Antony, who has only scored three goals in the Premier League this season.

Tottenham Hotspur’s top-four chances were blown in tatters after they were demolished by Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon.

Under the guidance of interim boss Cristian Stellini, the north London outfit put in a shambolic display, likely their worst of the entire 2022/23 Premier League campaign as the Magpies hit them for six, with Harry Kane only mustering a mere second-half consolation goal.

It marks another sad page in Spurs’ sorry season, with the struggling side opting for a four-back system, in which Cristian Romero partnered Eric Dier and neither could register a rating above 5.6, per Sofascore figures.

The former was particularly disappointing, even more so than goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who was hooked at the break with a suspected injury.

How did Cristian Romero play against Newcastle?

Having played a three-back all season, it was clear that the Argentine could not adapt to the system at such short notice and he was severely punished as Eddie Howe’s men stuck five goals past the trio by the 21st minute.

Across the 90 or so minutes he was on the pitch, the £50m aggressor won just one of his five duels (20%), was dribbled past on three occasions, including for Joelinton’s sumptuous strike – a moment that Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville lambasted as “shocking” on Twitter – and the renowned “liability” – as once described by Jamie O’Hara – also recorded one error leading to a shot.

In addition to that, within eight minutes of coming on, Romero was booked for scything down Callum Wilson, who had bagged the Magpies’ sixth and final goal with practically his first touch.

BBC contributor Oli Prince-Bates also claimed the £165k-per-week defender was “the most overrated player” in the Premier League, whilst the Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick was equally unimpressed by the World Cup winner as he wrote in his post-match column: ‘A World Cup winner in a back four but just as poor as the rest, and all at sea for at least three of the goals.’

Elsewhere, Romero failed to register a single interception or tackle, which are usually two key facets of his aggressive game and only further highlights just how much of a difficult afternoon he had up against the likes of Alexander Isak and Josh Murphy, who both bagged themselves the easiest brace of their careers.

All in all, you could pick fault in any of Spurs’ backline as they are not equipped to be deploying a four-at-the-back system and whilst Lloris may get scapegoated, given his persistent errors, Romero should have done far better as arguably the Lilywhites’ best centre-back.

Arsenal have it all to do tonight, as they travel to Manchester City in the hopes they can pull off what would be a miracle.

Having led the way in the chase for the Premier League title, recent slip-ups have allowed Pep Guardiola's side to creep into the driving seat, with their clash at the Etihad expected to only extend that lead further. However, should Mikel Arteta pull off the unthinkable and claim victory, it would blow the title race wide open once again.

With just six games left for the Gunners, nothing less than six wins will be enough to topple the reigning champions.

As aforementioned, those three draws in their last three games have somewhat derailed a league campaign that had been largely faultless beforehand. The latter of the results, against West Ham United and Southampton, sting particularly so.

They should be sweeping aside these relegation-battling teams, yet perhaps a mentality issue is creating a barrier for this team that are admittedly inexperienced when it comes to such a venture.

In an effort to calm everyone down and reclaim some control in the engine room with Granit Xhaka's expected absence, perhaps Jorginho deserves a start given his pedigree and intangible qualities.

Will Jorginho start vs Manchester City?

Given Guardiola once tried to sign the Italian for his side, it is clear just how highly the Spaniard rates the 31-year-old.

Therefore, it will not be a big boost for the tactician to see that their usual Swiss maestro is a doubt given the strength of his replacement. Not only is the former Chelsea powerhouse a calm presence on the ball, but he has experience that few others in the travelling dressing room will boast given his stacked trophy cabinet with the Blues.

Having only moved to the Emirates in January, the "classy" conductor – as branded by journalist Dan George – has been reduced to more of a cameo role by Arteta despite a strong start.

Averaging just 65 minutes per game across the season, the £110k-per-week star retains two tackles per game and an 86% pass accuracy that outlines what he can bring to the table, via Sofascore. Screening a back four that has looked unstable of late could be crucial in quelling Erling Haaland, who everyone is likely petrified of facing Rob Holding.

Once dubbed a "midfield general" by talkSPORT commentator Ian Abrahams, Jorginho will have to use every ounce of his quality to ensure Arsenal gain a positive result on the road.

Winning this evening would really shake up what many now see as a foregone conclusion, but a loss would likely end all hopes of a first league title since 2004.

When the final whistle blew following Liverpool's enthralling 2-2 draw against title-challenging Arsenal last month, Diogo Jota's goalless run stretched to 32 matches.

The Echo's Ian Doyle stated that the Portuguese was a man 'desperately in need of a goal', with the barren run sandwiching a lengthy tussle with injuries that had hampered his progress and ruled him out of 23 matches this season.

His deserted cutting edge was not for want of trying; over the past year, the £140k-per-week star has taken an average of 2.87 shots per 90, as per FBref, putting him among the top 15% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues for that statistic.

His creativity has also been invaluable to Liverpool when he has been fit, ranking among the top 1% for rate of assists and registering eight across all competitions this term, despite only starting on 13 occasions.

Jota has now plundered five goals from his past five matches, starting just three of those contests, instrumental with braces against Leeds United and Nottingham Forest and defying logic with his 94th-minute strike to defeat Tottenham Hotspur – who had clambered back from a three-goal deficit at Anfield.

Who could Jota replace at Liverpool?

Liverpool have certainly not been at the races this season and have fallen well below expectations with their lack of cohesion and dismal away form, failing to clinch any major honours and unlikely to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in seven years.

Despite this, recent fortunes have been promising and Jurgen Klopp's Reds currently ride a five-match win streak in the top flight; with four matches left to play, ceding territory is simply not an option and pressure must be placed on Newcastle United and Manchester United, who occupy third and fourth place in the table and have both played fewer matches than Liverpool.

With Erik ten Hag's Red Devils fell to defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion in the dying embers of their Thursday night clash, the situation both improved and became all the more concerning for Klopp's men.

United, fourth and four points above the Reds – having still played one game less – can be caught, despite the odds, but the Seagulls' victory is a telling reminder that if Liverpool are to cede ground, they would not only fall from Champions League contention but fall prey to a possible furtherplummet down the rankings.

Because of this, Jota, who has been lauded as a "pressing monster" by Pep Lijinders, must be unleashed with regularity in the place of Luis Diaz, who has recently returned from a long-term injury and has, understandably, fluctuated somewhat with his performances.

Having been a "livewire", as remarked by Pete Hall, for Klopp's team since his arrival from Porto last year in a £37m deal, Diaz has scored 11 goals and supplied eight assists from 43 appearances and been praised for his fleet-footed brilliance by his manager, who called him "exceptional".

However, with no margin for error at this vital stage of the campaign, the 30-cap Jota, who has scored ten goals for his nation, would be the better option to place into the starting fold given his recent return to goal-scoring form.

There is no doubt that Diaz is one of the most talented and exciting wingers in European football, let alone the Premier League – valued at £79m by CIES Football Observatory – but with the slightest slip-up perhaps detrimental for Liverpool at this stage, Jota simply has to start.

Unai Emery is building something exciting at Aston Villa, which is clear in his rise to success in the Midlands in such a short space of time.

The Spaniard took over when Villa were suffering in the Premier League, looking towards relegation early in the season, however, all worry was expelled when the 51-year-old made the switch from Villareal to Villa Park.

It feels to some like the four-time Europa League winner has been in the Midlands for years with the way he has reconnected the players and fans to the club, sketching a bigger picture for further success way past this tremendous opening six months.

With fast success comes a lot of ‘what ifs’ both present and past, with a lot of talent previously departed from Villa, in hindsight, Emery could’ve changed the fortunes of the careers of many in claret and blue had his time come sooner.

Why did Idrissa Gueye leave Aston Villa?

After joining the club in 2015 for £9m when Tim Sherwood was in charge, Gueye quickly became a trusted member of the squad at Villa Park.

Described by the aforementioned Sherwood as "one of the best" in his position at the time, the Senegalese midfielder made a name for himself in the Premier League in his short stay in the Midlands.

Villa’s relegation that year triggered Gueye’s release clause, which saw him move to Everton where his form continued.

The story grew for the Dakar-born player, who was snatched by European giants Paris Saint-Germain, in a move that the French champions “fought a lot” for, as per former boss Thomas Tuchel.

What could Idrissa Gueye have offered in Emery’s system?

It began and ended too swiftly for the midfielder at Villa Park, and considering Emery’s track record with managing players and nurturing their development, it sparks talk of what could’ve been for Gueye had his time crossed the Spaniard’s.

In his first season at PSG, the midfield "monster" as acclaimed by Tuchel, averaged a whopping 3.3 tackles per game, as well as winning over half of his ground duels (57%).

He epitomises what the current Villa boss craves in a box-to-box player, maintaining a passing accuracy rate of 93% in his first Ligue 1 season whilst being defensively solid – as per Sofascore.

When you revise the way the Spaniard unleashed the potential of former Arsenal holding midfielder Lucas Torreira, who "exploded" under his tutelage – as per Amy Lawrence – it’s clear to see how Emery aims to utilise his players in that position.

The 51-year-old has done the same with Douglas Luiz since arriving in the Midlands, stating last month of the importance that the Brazilian plays in the "idea" he wishes “to create” in his team.

As per FBref, Luiz averages 2.30 tackles per 90 in Emery’s side, as well as ranking in the top 25% of interceptors in the Premier League this season.

Previously called a "disgrace" by Villa fans prior to the Spaniard’s arrival, the Brazilian has relished working under Emery, transforming his game in a way typical of the coach’s demands.

Had Gueye’s time come later or lasted longer at Villa Park, the Senegal international could’ve taken Villa to the next level and undoubtedly thrived in the four-time Europa League winner’s progressive system.

Glasgow Rangers are in the market for a new striker this summer, and Michael Beale has reportedly made a bid for Haji Wright ahead of the transfer window.

What’s the latest on Haji Wright to Rangers?

According to Turkish journalist Salim Manav, Rangers “made a transfer offer” of £7m for the Antalyaspor striker, however, it was rejected as the team are currently holding out for a fee in the region of £8.5m.

It remains to be seen whether the Ibrox side will go back in with a new and improved offer, but with Alfredo Morelos leaving and Antonio Colak potentially set to leave the Light Blues after one season, then Beale will be desperate to secure another striker ahead of next season.

Who will replace Alfredo Morelos at Rangers?

The departing Colombian striker has left behind an endearing legacy at Rangers which has seen him score 124 goals for the club, win a Premiership title and Scottish Cup while becoming the club’s all-time top scorer in European competition, and he will be tough to replace.

It wasn’t only his goals which made Morelos frightening, but his ability to hold up the ball and bully defenders meant he gave Rangers much more than just a simple goal threat, and it will take someone special to become his successor.

Wright could be the ideal player for this role, especially given his stunning form in Turkey this season. He has scored 16 goals and registered three assists in just 26 appearances this term, and considering Morelos has only netted 12 goals in 44 matches, the Gers may be onto a winner with the 25-year-old.

What's more, Wright also has more shots on target per game (1.1 to 1), more successful dribbles (1.1 to 0.3) and scores more goals per game (0.6 to 0.4) than the Rangers striker, suggesting that he could even be an upgrade for 2023/24.

It’s no wonder he has been described as a “dangerous striker” former Schalke sporting director Horst Heldt, and there is no reason to doubt that he couldn’t shine in Scotland with such a goalscoring record.

The American also has experience at the highest level, representing his nation at the World Cup in Qatar last year, playing in all four matches for the USA, where he scored a bizarre goal against the Netherlands in the last 16.

Strengthening Rangers' attacking options will be paramount for Beale this summer, and Wright could well be a worthwhile addition to the first-team squad.

Chelsea are interested in signing a goalkeeper under incoming manager Mauricio Pochettino, with Emiliano Martinez a candidate.

What’s the latest on Emiliano Martinez to Chelsea?

According to the Daily Mail, the Aston Villa shot-stopper could be an option for Pochettino as he will aim to bolster his playing squad during the summer transfer window.

Martinez has been at the Midlands outfit since 2020, joining in a £17m deal from Arsenal, however, following his recent performances at both club and international level, his value has risen to €38.6m (£33.5m) but with another four years left on his current deal, Villa could demand a fee higher than this.

Luring the 30-year-old to Chelsea may give the new boss the licence to ditch Kepa Arrizabalaga as he aims to bring his own players to the club.

Does Kepa Arrizabalaga have a future at Chelsea?

Back in March, Football Insider reported that Chelsea were in no immediate rush to offer the Spaniard a new contract, with his current deal expiring in 2025.

Yet, with the news surrounding Pochettino’s imminent appointment, this may well be his final few months in a Chelsea shirt.

Despite conceding 27 goals in 26 games, adding in nine clean sheets, Ian Wright criticised the ‘keeper on an episode of his Wrighty’s House Podcast.

He said (via the Daily Mail): "I’m looking at Kepa and I’m sorry man but it’s not working out. The man makes too many mistakes. He looks very nervy. When you look at Fulham’s goals and the Manchester City goal, I think Kepa has to do better."

Martinez could be an excellent replacement for the 28-year-old if he departs Stamford Bridge, especially with his rise to prominence since leaving the Gunners three years ago. He only made 38 appearances across ten years at the club, yet since moving to Villa, he’s already nearly tripled this number.

The ‘keeper was arguably one of Argentina’s stars during their victorious World Cup campaign, keeping three clean sheets across seven matches, while also saving vital penalties in the shootout wins over the Netherlands in the quarter-finals and France in the final, winning the Golden Glove award for best goalkeeper in the process.

His antics against the Dutch in Qatar led compatriot Pablo Zabaleta to describe the £120k-per-week star as “crazy” and he could be an ideal shot-stopper for Pochettino ahead of 2023/24.

Chelsea are no stranger to spending vast sums recently, and it could take another extravagant transfer fee to sign Martinez, but he would be well worth it.

Newcastle United threw the kitchen sink at Leicester City at St. James' Park on Monday night but could not find a way to break the deadlock, though the cacophonous ovation was not in line with the goalless draw in the Premier League.

Eddie Howe's Magpies had taken the one point they needed to cement their place in next season's Champions League, with fifth-placed Liverpool's home draw to Aston Villa on Saturday placing Newcastle and Manchester United within touching distance of securing top four.

The home side dominated and exerted their towering authority as a new force in English football but were indeed unable to bypass goalkeeper Daniel Iverson's line, having offered 23 shots to the Foxes' single strike, expertly kept out in the dying embers of the affair by the imperious Nick Pope.

The £10m summer signing might well have been languid after such little action throughout the contest but showed no signs of slack as he parried Timothy Castagne's guileful effort.

It all could have been so different were the 30-year-old not among the division's best, sparing talisman Callum Wilson's blushes after an uncharacteristically profligate performance.

How did Callum Wilson perform vs Leicester?

Newcastle's resounding feats this season are a product of astute recruitment and diligent, adept management, and Howe and co really do deserve plaudits for the swift manner in crafting a cohesive team capable of challenging for major honours and European endeavours.

However, the work is plied on the pitch and for all the Toon's recruitment since the PIF takeover in October 2021, Wilson has been a sensational component to Howe's system, having signed from Bournemouth – also playing under Howe on the south coast – and been a prolific focal point as the club ascend to prominence this term, scoring 18 goals and providing five assists from just 21 starts in the top-flight.

The six-cap England international certainly suffered a blip in the purple patch against Dean Smith's City, recording a woeful 6.0 rating on Sofascore and failing to take his chances as gallant Leicester clung on.

Withdrawn from action after just 68 minutes, the 31-year-old missed two big chances and hit the woodwork once with his four attempted shots, but it wasn't just his wastefulness that inhibited him.

Pope, while heroic with his late save, only made eight passes and 17 touches all match, while Wilson managed to minnow even this low rate by making just two passes and 16 touches, also failing in all four of his contested duels.

Losing possession five times and also finding himself caught offside, it was a wholly inauspicious night for the £46k-per-week ace that might have been cast in a far gloomier shadow had Pope been bested by his opposition, providing Liverpool with an opportunity to weasel back into contention.

Wilson's goals have been invaluable this season, and he would have never been judged from just one match, especially following a blistering individual campaign to coincide with his club's fruitful fortunes, but he will count his lucky stars that the Foxes didn't complete a remarkable snatch-and-grab, thus denting the Toon's Champions League hopes.