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Jack Harrison, Raphinha and Pascal Struijk stood out as star performers in Leeds United’s crucial 3-2 win away to West Ham on Sunday afternoon.

The Whites picked up an enormous Premier League victory in east London, battling their way to a priceless three points after a thrilling game.

Harrison scored a hat-trick against the Hammers on a memorable afternoon for the winger, as the visitors dug deep amid more injury problems.

We’ve delved into the numbers from statistical website Sofascore to analyse the Whites’ three best performers from those to have played at least 45 minutes of action. No prizes for guessing who one of them was, but who else stood out against the Irons?

Jack Harrison – 9.0

There was no doubting who the best player was for Marcelo Bielsa’s side, as Harrison enjoyed arguably his best game for the club.

Aside from the headline-making hat-trick, the 25-year-old also won two tackles and four ground duels and played two key passes in a superb all-round display.

That’s now four goals in his last three appearances for Harrison, who appears to be returning to his best.

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Raphinha – 7.8

Raphinha has been Leeds’ best player so far this season and he was a constant threat to West Ham’s defence today.

The Brazilian was unfortunate to see a brilliant assist chalked off for offside but he still managed to play an incredible eight key passes against the Hammers.

Not only that, but the Brazilian created two big chances and hit the woodwork with a stunning free-kick, while also pitching in defensively by winning five ground duels and one tackle.

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Pascal Struijk – 7.3

Struijk has been limited to 10 league starts so far this season but he was excellent on Sunday, playing an important role in a huge win for Leeds.

The 22-year-old won all five ground duels that he contested at the London Stadium, summing up the dominant nature of his performance. The Dutchman also won five tackles and made one interception, not being dribbled past once in the whole game.

In other news, one Leeds player has been linked with a move away from Elland Road. Find out who it is here.

Celtic are ready to cash in on centre-forward Albian Ajeti in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Record, who claim that Michael Nicholson is ready to cut the Bhoys losses on the 24-year-old forward this winter, with the Record going on to state that the striker will go down in Celtic history as an expensive flop.

A further report by the Daily Record went on to reveal that, as a result of his struggles at Parkhead, the Switzerland international has been overlooked in selection for his national team by Murat Yakin, with the Switzerland boss stating:

“In my view, I look at each player’s individual performances and situation before I decide to name my squad. And that’s why in this instance I have chosen not to include Albian Ajeti.”

Fans will be buzzing

While fans of Celtic would have undoubtedly rathered Ajeti was a massive hit for their club, considering his poor performance levels, as well as his general lack of fitness and overall commitment during his time in Glasgow, the news that Nicholson is actively looking to ship the centre-forward out this January is sure to have left fans buzzing.

Indeed, over his 44 appearances for the Bhoys, the £2.88m-rated man has scored just nine goals and registered a mere five assists, with the player who Packie Bonner dubbed a “problem” averaging a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.85 last term – ranking him as the Hoops’ joint 12th-worst performer in the league.

Furthermore, the £16k-per-week forward has not completed 90 minutes since September, with both Neil Lennon and Ange Postecoglou being reported to have concerns regarding the 24-year-old’s fitness levels.

As such, while it would appear likely that Celtic will have to take a substantial hit if they wish to move Ajeti on this winter, considering the fact that the striker has already cost the club over £1m in wages, it would indeed appear highly advisable for Nicholson to get rid of the former West Ham United forward as quickly as possible, as he is quite simply stealing a living at Parkhead.

In other news: Forget Jota: “Outstanding” £4.5m-rated Celtic gem who made 8 key passes stole the show

Flocking to Twitter, a number of Manchester City supporters have absolutely erupted over a latest exit report on Raheem Sterling.

The 26-year-old, who has proven to be a key player for Pep Guardiola in past seasons, continues to find himself on the fringes at the Etihad Stadium, with the likes of Jack Grealish, Riyad Mahrez and Gabriel Jesus seemingly preferred out wide.

Sterling’s game-time has been gradually declining since the beginning of 2021 and especially this season, starting just three Premier League games and appearing primarily off the City bench (WhoScored).

His contract situation is also up in the air, with his current deal set to expire in 2023 and still no sign of fresh terms, despite Guardiola’s wish for the winger to stay.

His lack of involvement compared to past seasons, as well as his contract saga, has seen Sterling repeatedly being linked with a move away from Manchester as La Liga giants Barcelona enter the fray.

Now, as per Metro, there has been another update on his future concerning City’s price tag. Indeed, their reporter Sean Kearns has shared news, attracting plenty of social media debate, that the Sky Blues value their forward at around £45m are indeed open to selling.

They are apparently set to use the sale of Leroy Sane to Bayern Munich in 2020 as a ‘guideline’ for their valuation whilst they continue talks with Sterling’s representatives.

Man City fans fume…

Flocking to this update, it’s safe to say that plenty of City fans have been left fuming by the meagre sum their club could accept for his services.

City’s top scorer in all competitions with 31 over the 2019/20 campaign, he is also yet to hit his prime, is homegrown and is a proven star at international level.

He has also steadily improved his all-round game under Guardiola since signing from Liverpool, with the Spaniard calling him ‘extraordinary’ following his 11-minute hat-trick against Atalanta in 2019 (Sky Sports).

Taking all this into account, it’s safe to say the player has serious ability when at his best, leaving little wonder why so many City supporters are in disbelief over his “disgusting” £45m valuation.

Check out some of their verdicts from Twitter below:

“Selling him for less than they bought him for would just be an utter embarrassment.”

Credit: @j2mcfc

“Disgusting”

Credit: @crossmerchant2

“Are we registered as a Charity???”

Credit: @charteredtax

“We’re so finished. We also valued Bernardo at 43m and look how that turned out. Been our best player this season”

Credit: @GoatedVision

“If we sell him for that little I will cry myself to sleep for a week”

Credit: @AaronWi

“We must be the most embarrassing club in the world in the transfer market”

Credit: @billymcfc_

“I’ve never seen a club worse than us at selling players”

Credit: @ReadJ0J0

“We are the worst selling club in the world”

Credit: @TeacherOfBall

In other news: ‘Perfect’, ‘Bring him home’ – These Man City fans erupt as Txiki eyes ‘massive signing’ for Pep; find out more here.

Liverpool will head into the January transfer window with some important decisions to make.

They are well within reach of securing another Premier League title but they will have to negotiate the choppy waters of a winter period without Sadio Mane and most importantly, Mohamed Salah.

The Egyptian sensational has been nothing short of mesmerising this term, finding the net on 19 occasions already.

He has had to lift his game in the absence of Roberto Firmino but when he heads off to the African Cup of Nations with his offensive colleague next month, the club’s lack of depth could be exposed.

Of course, Diogo Jota will be a good stand-in having taken his tally to the campaign to nine strikes, but no one is ever coming close to replicating what Salah offers Jurgen Klopp’s men.

Adding to their ranks in the New Year would be a smart decision from Michael Edwards and FSG, but who will they turn to?

One player mooted with a switch to Anfield is Porto forward Luis Diaz. The Colombian featured against the Reds in the Champions League earlier this season and has demonstrated some jaw-dropping attributes this term which would make him a perfect fit in Merseyside.

Indeed, he has found the net 12 times in only 19 appearances this term for the Portuguese outfit, putting in some dazzling displays from the flanks.

He recently scored a screamer in a clash with Vitoria Guimaraes, rifling an effort right into the postage stamp after cutting inside. It was a goal that summed up why he’d be such a good capture for Liverpool, especially when Mane leaves his role vacant on the left wing next month.

That beautiful goal was perfectly summed up by Marino Peixoto, a Portuguese football enthusiast, who took to social media to say the following:

“The rate at which Luís Diaz is churning out otherworldly performances coupled with his ability to score screamers like this on a consistent basis is genuinely frightening. Only a matter of time before somebody pays an astronomical fee for him.”

And what may that fee be, I hear you ask? Well, it’s thought that Porto would be willing to part with the player if their price tag of €50m (£42m) is met.

That shouldn’t deter Liverpool who are clearly in need of adding further bodies to their ranks.

Diaz’s ability to carve out offensive opportunities for both himself and his teammates is inspirational and as presenter Manas Singh says, he is a “livewire” in the final third.

Based on the above evidence, FSG must do all they can to ensure he swaps the blue and white of Porto for the red of Liverpool next year. The thought of him lining up alongside the likes of Salah and Jota is a mouth-watering one. Klopp’s attack could be about to get even scarier; imagine that.

AND in other news, FSG must seal Liverpool swoop for “Jota-esque” £13m beast who sent VVD “for a hot dog”…

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to build on their recent upturn in form with another three points against Crystal Palace on Sunday evening.

Jose Mourinho’s side have impressed in recent wins against Wolfsberger and Burnley, before picking up another hard-fought win and clean sheet in their game against Fulham earlier this week.

The top four is still a possibility for the North London club but they must win games like these if they are to be in with a chance of securing a strong finish in the Premier League this season.

Here’s how Football FanCast thinks Mourinho will line his side up at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, with three changes from the side that started against Fulham…

Hugo Lloris unsurprisingly keeps his place in goal after recording back-t0-back clean sheets against Burnley and Fulham.

There are two changes in defence, as Mourinho once again rotates his full-backs, as Sergio Reguilon replaces Ben Davies at left-back, whilst Serge Aurier has recovered from his injury and is likely to come in for Matt Doherty.

The midfield duo of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Tanguy Ndombele stays the same after some impressive performances in recent games.

There is one change in attack, as despite playing a big part in the winning goal in midweek, Dele Alli drops to the bench in place of Lucas Moura, as after not starting in the Premier League for so long, Mourinho may not trust the Englishman to start consecutive games in such quick succession.

When the Portuguese manager first took over, he dubbed Alli “fantastic” for his performances and whilst he is starting to show glimpses of rediscovering that form, he is unlikely to play every game considering the number of options Spurs have in his position.

Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son and Gareth Bale complete the attack, and they will be hoping to show a similar level of understanding and potency in attack as they did in the 4-0 win against Burnley in their last home fixture.

And, in other news… Jose must unleash “aggressive” beast vs Palace; he can be the game-changer

Aston Villa are hoping crucial star and captain Jack Grealish will be returning soon, however it looks like their upcoming derby against Wolves will be too early for him.

The latest on Grealish

Manager Dean Smith was previewing the all-Midlands clash against Wolves in his pre-match conference, via Birmingham Live: “Jack’s unlikely to feature on Saturday. I haven’t sat down with the medical staff yet but he was running on the AlterG (anti-gravity treadmill) yesterday, which is a positive because if he’s running it means he’s pain-free.”

The wait goes on

The skipper is a crucial member of Smith’s side and is a key component as Villa look to push on and finish in the top half of the Premier League, so understandably many fans are very worried about the injury.

His form this season has been electric and his goal contributions show that he has been involved in nearly half of Villa’s goals in the division this campaign, as Smith’s side have managed 37 in total (SofaScore). He has not just shone for Villa either but also England, with manager Gareth Southgate in awe of the Villa skipper, hailing his performance against Belgium as ‘outstanding‘.

The only positive is that the playmaker looks to be close to returning as he is pain-free so hopefully he will be back sooner rather than later.

In other Villa news, fans have been piling praise on one star at the club following his latest comments. Have a read who it is here!

Joe Gomez has been a key member of the Liverpool squad ever since signing for the Premier League club in the summer of 2015 from Charlton.

Following his arrival, the 24-year-old has gone on to represent England, as well as winning multiple titles for Liverpool, including a Champions League crown and Premier League title – and he still arguably hasn’t reached his peak years yet.

Gomez has made 139 appearances for the Reds in all competitions, and this is despite suffering major injuries which have ruled him out for significant periods of time – missing practically the whole of the 2015/16 season and undergoing ankle surgery twice.

In his 85 appearances in the Premier League, he has kept 32 clean sheets and has a 73% tackle success rate. Add to this the fact that he hasn’t made an error leading to a goal in these 85 matches and the stats show Liverpool have an extremely solid defender at their disposal.

This even led manager Jurgen Klopp to label him a “sensational footballer” during the side’s title-winning campaign in 2020.

His market value has soared in his seven years as a Liverpool player. The £3.5m signing now has a Transfermarkt value of a whopping £19.8m, showing just how impressive he has been for the team.

In March 2020, as Liverpool stood on the cusp of glory, his value sat at a staggering £37.8m while he was just 22. And, although it has slipped since then – largely due to injuries and Klopp rotating his squad – Gomez is still to enter his peak as a defender.

While Klopp is constantly trying to evolve his side, with his recent recruitment being excellent with attackers such as Luis Diaz and Diego Jota settling in extremely well, he won’t need to sign a centre-back for some time.

The £75k-per-week Gomez is at the perfect team in order to continue developing and you wouldn’t bet on him adding to his 11 England appearances in the near future too.

AND in other news: Klopp could unearth next Konate by unleashing “incredible” £450k-rated gem

Shane Long was handed his first Premier League start of the season against Fulham on Boxing Day but the 33-year-old’s disappointing performance confirms that he is no longer good enough to be a starter for the Saints in the Premier League.

The Irish forward has struggled for game time this season, with the good form of Danny Ings and Che Adams, as well as the loan signing of Theo Walcott, meaning that he has rarely been selected by Ralph Hasenhuttl.

Before the game at Craven Cottage on Boxing Day, the experienced striker had made eight appearances from the bench, totalling just 61 minutes.

However, injuries to Ings and Nathan Redmond left the Austrian manager short of attacking options ahead of the trip to West London and Long played the full 90 minutes in a disappointing 0-0 draw.

Whilst he did see an excellent finish rightly ruled out for offside, the former Reading man was anonymous for large parts of the game.

As per SofaScore, Long touched the ball just 28 times in the stalemate and was able to complete just 12 passes, suggesting that he was unable to have much influence on the game.

It was disappointing, therefore, that Hasenhuttl left Nathan Tella on the bench, whilst young Dan N’Lundulu was introduced as a late substitute when you feel that either youngster could have made more of an impact.

Unfortunately for Long, his last Premier League goal came in February’s 2-0 win against Aston Villa, which certainly suggests that he isn’t the player he once was and that Hasenhuttl should now cast his eye to the future and trust Tella, N’Lundulu or Michael Obafemi to step up in the absence of Ings.

In January of this year, the Austrian manager was full of praise for Long’s efforts, despite his lack of goals, saying:

“He’s an unbelievable wall player for us, and that gives you another chance to keep heaping pressure on the opponent.

“He’s very strong in the aerial duels and that can squeeze opponents.

“What I like too is he knows exactly when to go and when to stop, because this is sometimes not so easy for a player.

“It is all this kind of work that makes him so important for us.”

However, his lack of goals is clearly a huge concern and work rate alone is not enough to replace Ings whilst he is sidelined, so Hasenhuttl must now axe the 33-year-old in favour of the younger talent available at the South Coast club.

And, in other news… Fewer touches than McCarthy: Southampton flop who won 20% of duels will have left Hasenhuttl fuming

Rumoured Liverpool transfer target Jadon Sancho has refused to commit his future to Borussia Dortmund, acting as a potential boost to the Reds.

The Lowdown: Sancho continually linked with Reds

The 21-year-old has emerged as one of the most exciting young forwards in Europe in recent years, scoring 48 goals and registering 62 assists in 134 appearances for Dortmund.

Sancho has been linked with a summer move to Liverpool numerous times this season, with Jurgen Klopp thought to view him as a great long-term option in his attack.

The £90m-valued England international’s current deal doesn’t expire until 2023, though, so only a huge fee would prise him away from Dortmund this summer.

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The Latest: Sancho coy over his future

Sancho was on top form on Saturday, scoring twice in his side’s 3-2 win at home to RB Leipzig, keeping their Champions League hopes alive and handing Bayern Munich the Bundesliga title yet again.

Speaking after the game [via Daily Mail], the youngster discussed his future and did not rule out the prospect of a summer exit:

“Will I leave the club? I don’t know about my future.

“I am very happy here in Dortmund at the moment. I love the club, the fans and the team. They gave me my first professional start.”

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The Verdict: Snap him up, Reds

Liverpool should do all they can to secure a move for Sancho this summer, although financial restraints may not make that possible following a tough 12 months around the world for football clubs.

Klopp needs to make sure that Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino are adequately replaced once their time at Anfield is up – they are all now close to 30 – and the prolific Dortmund star would seem to be a perfect addition.

He is capable of thriving on either flank, cutting inside and hitting the byline, and his game should only become more perfected as he matures with age, becoming even more devastating in the final third.

In other news, one Liverpool forward is being tipped to leave the club this summer. Find out who it is here.

Liverpool picked up their first three points of 2021 with an impressive 3-1 victory against Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday night, which puts their ambitions of winning a second successive Premier League title back on track.

Goals from Roberto Firmino, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Sadio Mane gave Jurgen Klopp’s side the victory in North London but it was perhaps the performance of James Milner that stood out the most.

As per SofaScore, the experienced midfielder would earn a strong 7.5/10 match rating for his performance, which was only bettered by Mane and Alexander-Arnold.

Jordan Henderson playing in defence meant that the former Manchester City man earned a rare Premier League start in midfield but he certainly made the most of his opportunity.

The 35-year-old would make three interceptions and two tackles from midfield during the game against Jose Mourinho’s side, which is far better than his season average of 0.5 interceptions and one tackle per game.

In the Spurs midfield, meanwhile, Tanguy Ndombele would make no interceptions and just one tackle, which emphasises that Milner’s performance was on another level at times last night.

The former England international would have 77 touches of the ball during the 90 minutes and contributed 56/65 passes, resulting in an 86% pass success rate.

Again, this was higher than Ndombele, who would you normally expect to be Spurs’ chief creator from midfield.

Perhaps most impressively, Milner would contribute as many as four key passes during the game at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, which was more than any other player on the pitch, and also comfortably more than the 0.8 he has averaged per game in the Premier League so far this season.

Back in 2018, midfield partner Georginio Wijnaldum labelled Milner a “machine” and that was reiterated on Thursday night as he showed that he can still produce excellent performances in the top-flight despite being 35.

Therefore, although Alexander-Arnold may steal the headlines after his goal and assist on Thursday, it was arguably the performance of Milner that will have impressed Klopp the most.

And, in other news… Edwards must swoop for 24 y/o beast who has the “quality” to play in the CL; he tackles more than any LFC player