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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has observed a host of his players’ endeavours during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with none more impressive than Bruno Fernandes as the group phase approaches the conclusive fixture. 

Fernandes has reminded the world of his prowess on the biggest stage after a decline of direct contributions for United across the past few seasons.

Indeed, in the 2020/21 term, the Portuguese magician completed a stunning return of 28 goals and 17 assists across 58 fixtures, and striking ten goals and 14 assists during the previous campaign. 

This year, he yields just three goals and assists apiece following 20 matches across all competitions for the Red Devils. 

But with two goals and two assists in just two games in Qatar, Fernandes has rekindled his clinical touch and staked a big claim for the player of the tournament so far. 

The 51-cap international has been immense, with Sofascore rating his performance against Ghana at 8.4, with his destructive display against Uruguay achieving 8.8, ranking him the best performer on the pitch on both occasions.

The return to such sublime form comes at the perfect time for Manchester United, with teammate and compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo mutually terminating his contract with the club.

The void left by his departure should not be detrimental to United’s endeavours, with the forward only scoring three times for the club this season, but it does open the door for the £64.6m-rated phenom to take the reins once more and return to his previous role as the offensive focal point. 

Despite his dip in goals and assists, FBref still illustrates the presence he holds on the field, ranking him in the top 6% for passes attempted and the top 9% for progressive passes, whilst also highlighting his defensive aptitude and alert nature by placing him in the top 2% for clearances, when compared to positional peers across Europe’s big five leagues. 

Hailed as a “magnifico” by Squawka after the Uruguay victory, the 28-year-old is earning lavish praise indeed, and justifiably so, with Statman Dave also praising the offensive midfielder for his “crucial contribution” against Ghana in the opening match, where he served two assists. 

With the goals starting to rain down once again for the maestro, it feels as if it is a question of when, not if, that the £240k-per-week earner will entwine his international efforts with those at club level, and provide Old Trafford, and indeed Portugal, with the spark needed to reignite the fire, and guide the club back to gilt-covered success. 

The Daily Telegraph journalist Luke Edwards has shared that Newcastle United ‘do not intend to spend big’ on any player in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Great start

The St James’ Park outfit have made a great start to the Premier League season, sitting pretty in third place in the table.

Given the financial backing by the owners in the summer, when the Magpies had a net spend of £122.4m and brought in Alexander Isak as a club-record signing, they could look to go again in January in order to cement their chances of finishing in one of the Champions League places by the end of the campaign.

The Latest: No intention to go ‘big’

Taking to Twitter, Edwards has shared that Newcastle ‘do not intend to spend big’ on players in January, but that could potentially change after their trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in December.

He tweeted: “The word coming out of #nufc at the moment is they do not intend to spend big in January on anyone but could high league position and a trip to Saudi Arabia in December change that?”

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The Verdict: Go the extra mile…

While Newcastle are in such a healthy league position, they should be looking to go the extra mile and get one or two more big players into St James’ Park in January.

Money should not be too much of an issue given PIF’s wealth, so they could essentially cherry-pick who they would like from the players who are attainable.

The Magpies’ long-term ambitions will be to eventually play in the Champions League regularly, but the financial backing for some of the ‘big six’ clubs may mean that this will take longer than they perhaps anticipate.

With the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool falling behind at the moment, this season presents a glorious opportunity for the Magpies to finish in the top four, and a couple of big-money signings in January could help them massively in that regard.

Leeds United head into Saturday afternoon’s Premier League meeting against AFC Bournemouth in high spirits, with Jesse Marsch’s side having finally ended their eight-match winless streak with a shock 2-1 victory over Liverpool last time out.

However, with the Whites having lost a key player to injury in the week, coupled with a number of Marsch’s regular starters currently enduring something of a dip from their usual performance levels, the 48-year-old has a number of decisions to make regarding his starting XI for the visit of the Cherries this afternoon.

Will the American make any changes to the side which lined up in the win at Anfield last weekend?

Here’s how we at Football FanCast think Leeds’ starting XI could look against Bournemouth, along with the latest team and injury news…

Predicted Leeds XI – Meslier; Kristensen, Koch, Cooper, Struijk; Adams, Roca; Summerville, Aaronson, Gnonto; Bamford.

With Marsch revealing in his pre-match press conference that Luis Sinisterra is likely to be out of action until after the World Cup due to a foot injury, while also stating that both Stuart Dallas and Adam Forshaw remain sidelined with knocks, we predict that the 48-year-old will make two changes to the side which started the 2-1 victory over Liverpool last weekend.

The back five remains intact, with Illan Meslier – who enjoyed quite possibly his best performance in a Leeds shirt at Anfield – starting between the sticks, while right-back Rasmus Kristensen, centre-back pairing Robin Koch and Liam Cooper and left-back Pascal Struijk make up the Whites’ defensive unit.

In the middle of the park, Marsch’s tried-and-tested duo of Marc Roca and Tyler Adams once again get the nod, with the summer signings having highly impressed since their respective moves to Elland Road – currently ranking as the club’s second and fourth-best performers in the top flight respectively.

The first change comes in the three behind the striker, with the distinctly out-of-form Jack Harrison – who was linked with a £60m move to Newcastle United in the summer – dropping out of the XI. That switch sees Crysencio Summerville move over to his preferred right-wing role and 18-year-old “wonderkid” Wilfried Gnonto come in on the left flank.

This means that Brenden Aaronson is once again unleashed in the number 10 role just behind Patrick Bamford. Despite the 29-year-old striker being without a goal this season, he has looked quite lively in both the defeat to Arsenal and win at Liverpool win, and he replaces Rodrigo in leading the line for Leeds against the Cherries.

ScorecardBowlers dominated on a fluctuating first day at Arundel where Clint McKay’s four wickets gave Leicestershire hope that they can win their first game of the season in the Specsavers County Championship.The wholehearted Australian fast bowler picked up 4 for 59 in searing heat at Arundel as Sussex were bowled out for 262 and appeared to have squandered the advantage of winning the toss.But a two-paced pitch, which is expected to turn, gave seamers assistance all day and Sussex’s new ball pair Chris Jordan and Jofra Archer each picked up one of the Leicestershire openers as they closed on 77 for 2.It was a day to remember for Leicestershire’s 19-year-old debutant William Fazackerley. Guernsey-born but educated just down the road from Arundel at Lancing College, he claimed his maiden Championship wicket when he had Jordan lbw for 34.Jordan was one of several Sussex players who got starts without pushing on. Eight of their batsmen got to 20 but only South African Stiaan van Zyl, who top scored with 49, looked capable of dominating a persevering Leicestershire attack.Van Zyl shared in a fourth-wicket stand of 62 in 12 overs either side of lunch with Luke Wright, whose first scoring shot for the second successive game was a six.But from 138 for 4 Sussex lost three wickets adding 27 runs. Wright played on to Richard Jones for 25, van Zyl was lbw half-forward to McKay after hitting nine boundaries before skipper Ben Brown drove McKay’s slower ball to cover for 19.Jordan and leg-spinner Will Beer, who took 11 wickets at Arundel last month against South Africa A, put on 54 for the seventh wicket but Leicestershire wrapped up the innings with three wickets after tea, two of them to Matt Pillans.Earlier, Luke Wells had passed 700 Championship runs after being restored to the top of the order. The left-hander lost opening partner Chris Nash, who played on to McKay before Harry Finch fell for a golden duck shuffling in front to a ball from Jones which nipped back.Wells and van Zyl briefly prospered together, taking the score to 74 before Wells, who had struck eight fours in a fluent 42, was caught behind off Pillans.By then umpire Martin Saggers was on the pitch, his arrival having been delayed by traffic congestion. Martin Bodenham, who retired from the first-class list last season but lives in nearby Ferring, stood at square leg before Saggers arrived.

Leeds United are likely to dip back into the transfer market when the January window opens, according to a fresh claim by Sky Sports journalist Tim Thornton.

The Lowdown: Productive summer at Leeds

Jesse Marsch will likely have been happy with his business in the summer transfer window, despite losing key duo Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha.

Leeds used that money wisely, bringing in a host of new players in key positions, whether it be Brenden Aaronson, Luis Sinisterra or Tyler Adams, among others.

It looks as though further reinforcements could be made soon, however, following a new update.

The Latest: January business likely, says Thornton

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Thornton claimed that Orta would give the green light for January signings to come in:

“There’s a philosophy at Leeds and Victor’s very much a central figure in that, so he’ll already be planning for the next transfer window. That’s the way that he works.”

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The Verdict: Key to continue building

While Leeds certainly don’t need major additions in January, it is vital that Marsch has a squad that is comfortably capable of avoiding relegation from the Premier League.

In what is a relentless season, with the World Cup awkwardly getting in the way, legs could tire as the campaign goes on, highlighting the need for new faces.

The key for Leeds is to keep steadily improving and not go backwards and top-quality new signings can only be hugely beneficial, in that respect.

Southampton have sold plenty of their top players over the years, with many having gone on to the very top of the game.

The club seem to have a keen eye for up-and-coming talent, and then the humility to allow them to move on when the price is right.

Virgil van Dijk headlines this glittering philosophy which has seen the club somehow record a profit over the last five years of transfer windows.

However, one man who left the club and has surprised many is Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

The Danish defensive midfielder moved to Tottenham Hotspur for just £15m after confirming his desire to leave St Mary’s but was captain before this debacle.

Saints fans enjoyed his tough-tackling and no-nonsense displays in midfield, but they had lost bigger stars so it felt like less of a blow.

But the way in which his price has skyrocketed, it seems like they may have allowed him to go far too cheaply.

According to the CIES Football Observatory, the 27-year-old is valued at around €70m (£61m). This marks an astounding 306% increase in value, just two years after he was sold for £15m.

He has impressed for Spurs, as he featured in all 38 of their Premier League matches in his debut season, 36 the campaign following, and he already has two goals and an assist this term having played just seven league games.

It seems like this season is set to be his best yet, as he has formed a fine midfield partnership with Rodrigo Bentancur.

His average SofaScore rating of 7.53 this season supports this; a score only bested at Tottenham by Harry Kane; by 0.01.

Hojbjerg has become a mainstay in the Lilywhites midfield, averaging a 91% pass completion rate whilst getting through 1.1 interceptions, 1.9 tackles and 1.9 clearances per game.

The Spurs stalwart is, as journalist Philip O’Connor claimed, “an absolute beast of a midfielder.”

He is Antonio Conte’s unsung hero, who has Jose Mourinho to thank for this gift of a transfer.

When seeing his importance to Tottenham’s team, it is easy to understand how his value has increased so exponentially. Few Southampton fans would have expected this kind of rise to the top, and will now be left wondering how he was allowed to leave for such a small amount.

While Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou has hinted at further incomings at Parkhead in the coming weeks, the title-winning coach will also likely need to consider potential outgoings, with towering Frenchman Christopher Jullien seemingly in need of a fresh start.

The 29-year-old – who signed for the Hoops on a £7m deal three years ago – has fallen drastically down the pecking order since his return from a lengthy injury absence back in February, having made just one appearance at the tail end of last term, totalling 16 minutes.

That lack of action has continued into the new campaign with the 6 foot 5 centre-back yet to even make it onto the bench in the opening weeks of the season, having seen the likes of Carl Starfelt, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Stephen Welsh and Moritz Jenz all favoured ahead of him at present.

Having seen a move to Bundesliga side Schalke collapse a few weeks ago, the former Toulouse man now faces an increasingly uncertain future in Glasgow, with reports even suggesting that he could be stuck with the Old Firm giants beyond the September deadline.

That scenario would be far from ideal for both the player himself and also the club, with the Scottish champions likely to be keen to get his reported £20k-per-week salary off the wage bill.

Pushing the former France U20 international out the door would also seemingly allow young Dane Murray to take on a more prominent role in Postecoglou’s side, with the 19-year-old no doubt having the talent to force his way firmly into the first-team reckoning.

Thus far, the teenager has been restricted to just two senior outings for the Scottish Premiership side, with both of those having come against FC Midtjylland in Champions League qualifying last season.

Although he has been unable to earn more game time since then, the Scotsman clearly caught the eye of his manager, with the former Yokohama boss stating that: “Coming on to the pitch, a young guy who was born in 2003. I can remember 2003 very clearly.

“You know how young he is and he is not just coming on the pitch, he is facing a formidable opponent and with 10 men. But you know what? My gut instinct told me he wouldn’t be fazed by it.

“I watched him in training and he is a young kid, not just with football potential, but personality and character that belies his age. I was quite happy to trust him out there and it was an important part of the game, we were down to 10 men and we had to work very hard.”

Having also previously been described as “remarkable” by youth team coach Martin Miller, the highly-regarded prospect no doubt deserves the chance to push for a bigger role in the side moving forward.

A towering 6 foot 4 gem, Murray has the size and stature to be a real commanding presence in Postecoglou’s side, with the likes of teammate Welsh having showcased there is a clear route into the first-team at the Glasgow side from the youth system.

That pathway would be made somewhat clearer, however, if the aforementioned Jullien was to finally move on.

Tottenham Hotspur chief Fabio Paratici could be about to repeat his Cristian Romero masterstroke as he returns to Atalanta for the club’s next potential signing.

According to Italian outlet Tutto Atalanta, Spurs are leading the race to sign midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi, who is also wanted by Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest.

It’s believed that the north London outfit are aiming to seal a loan-to-buy agreement, just as they did with the Argentina centre-back.

The 24-year-old defender joined Tottenham last summer from the Serie A side on an initial loan deal with an option to buy of £42.5m, as per football.london, which is due to be made permanent before deadline day on September 1st.

Romero has been an instant hit with supporters around N17 for his aggressive style and undoubted defensive quality and now, Paratici and his staff could look to repeat this with his former teammate.

The Ukraine international could help fix the creative void at Spurs, having contributed ten goals and seven assists across all competitions last season, and doing so from a variety of central midfield roles – whether that be as a no.8 or no.10, as per Transfermarkt.

It’s no secret that manager Antonio Conte appears to be in the market for a new creative outlet and that’s exactly what Malinovskyi can provide, having been dubbed a “playmaker” by journalist Simon Collings.

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As per FBref, the Atalanta star ranks inside the top 6% of his positional peers across Europe for expected assists (0.32 per 90), as well as the top 3% for shots (3.24 per 90) and the top 7% for shot-creating actions (4.99 per 90).

The site also likens the £25m-rated star’s statistical profile to that of James Maddison and Mason Mount, so he should be right at home in the Premier League, just as Romero has been.

Adding more goals and assists from midfield could make Conte’s Spurs a lethal outfit in all the competitions that they are competing in. Malinovskyi has been described as having a “cannon in his left boot” by ex-player Tony Dorigo.

On the above evidence, the versatile midfielder could be an ideal eighth signing of the summer transfer window and by signing him on an initial loan, Paratici could be looking to repeat his masterstroke with Romero.

It seems like a deal that Spurs should certainly look to complete before the end of the window in less than two weeks’ time.

AND in other news, Spurs could seal perfect Conte signing in “complete” £50m gem, he’s shades of Kevin De Bruyne…

Newcastle United reporter Craig Hope has provided an update on Leeds United winger Jack Harrison potentially swapping Elland Road for St James’ Park.

The Lowdown: Harrison rumours

The Whites have been extremely busy when it comes to incomings and outgoings this summer. Kalvin Phillips of course joined Manchester City and a deal was then agreed for Raphinha to move to Barcelona.

Harrison could be another high-profile player to depart ahead of Jesse Marsch’s first full season, with recent reports claiming that Newcastle are willing to offer around £20m for the winger.

The Latest: Hope’s comments

MOT Leeds News relayed comments from Hope regarding Newcastle and Harrison.

He said via Instagram that he’s heard little things in recent days and said he wouldn’t be surprised if Newcastle ‘firmed up their interest’ with ‘serious conversations’.

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“The one I think they are looking at as a viable alternative is Jack Harrison of Leeds.

“They’ve watched Jack Harrison many times, including on the final day of the season down at Brentford.

“They like Harrison, I don’t think it is unanimous amongst all of the transfer committee that Harrison is the best way to go, but from what I understand, I certainly think the manager, Eddie Howe, likes him.

“At the moment, Newcastle’s valuation and Leeds’ valuation is some way apart, so that’s why we haven’t seen movement already, but it is one, little things I’ve heard in the past week, the past few days, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Newcastle firmed up their interest and started having more serious conversations with Leeds regards Harrison.”

The Verdict: Keep

The Whites should be under no pressure to sell Harrison this summer after already cashing in on Phillips and Raphinha. Leeds will bank around £100m for the pair, which should be more than enough to balance the books at Elland Road.

Harrison has proven to be a reliable member of the squad over the last four seasons, missing just two games through injury while many in the squad have suffered. The winger still has two years remaining on his Leeds contract, so unless an offer arrives that is too good to turn down, the club would be better off keeping hold of Harrison heading into the new campaign.

Every transfer window throws up something of a left-field rumour, with Premier League outfit Aston Villa currently at the centre of the latest, surprise transfer claim, amid reports that the Midlands side are interested in Inter Milan forward, Alexis Sanchez.

According to La Tercera, Villa have been named as one of the clubs who are believed to be keen on signing the 33-year-old, with the Chilean ace set to be allowed to depart the Serie A side this summer despite having a year remaining on his existing deal.

Having already wrapped up four major deals in the current window, manager Steven Gerrard and owners NSWE could be set for their next marquee addition in the form of the former Arsenal man, with the veteran attacker potentially the solution in their quest to add an experienced forward this summer.

Although it may be a bold move to recruit an ageing, £175k-per-week asset, the one-time Barcelona man has seemingly done enough in his career previously to warrant the gamble – particularly if he is to be available on a free transfer.

Much like the recent capture of Philippe Coutinho – who has signed on a permanent deal after a six-month loan stint last term – Sanchez’s arrival could help rejuvenate a once-great figure who has perhaps fallen by the wayside in recent years.

The £3.15m-rated “maverick” – as described by one source – has previously set the Premier League alight during his time at the Emirates Stadium, having joined the club on a £35m deal from Catalonia in the summer of 2014.

Under the guidance of Arsene Wenger, he would go on to score 80 goals and provide 45 assists in 166 games in all competitions for the Gunners, proving a constant menace from his left-wing berth.

Once dubbed a “warrior” by Liam Canning, the 148-cap maestro was able to combine his devastating attacking output with a humble, hard-working approach, emerging as something of a talismanic figure in north London as a result.

With his subsequent move to Manchester United in January 2018 failing to work out – as he scored just five goals and laid on nine assists in 45 games in total – the fleet-footed forward was shipped off to Italy just 18 months later, although has again been reduced to just a bit-part role at the San Siro.

That being said, he has still chipped in with 20 strikes and 23 assists in all competitions for the Serie A side thus far, while he also ranks highly in a string of attacking and defensive metrics, as per FBref, most notably in the top 1% for progressive carries and the top 2% for dribbles completed among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues.

Although his lack of game time is a factor in that favourable comparison, it perhaps illustrates that the diminutive gem can still provide lethal, brief cameos when required.

That may be all Villa are potentially in need of, a player to come on and impact the game in the closing stages, particularly when a figure is needed to create a moment of magic to unlock the door.

Coutinho has already shown early signs that he can do just that, perhaps Sanchez can follow suit.

AND in other news, Lange eyeing Villa move for £30m “goalscoring machine”, he’d be their own Darwin Nunez