Liverpool are believed to be eyeing a move for a "dangerous" Bundesliga sensation, according to an update from Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds went top of the Premier League on Saturday, with their dramatic late 2-1 win away to Crystal Palace taking them to the summit, coupled with Arsenal's defeat at Aston Villa later in the day. There is a feel-good factor at Liverpool that simply wasn't on show last season, but while things are going smoothly at the moment, that's not to say that Klopp may not want to add to his squad during the January transfer window.

In defence, Joel Matip's long-term injury has suddenly made the Reds' options look weaker, and Goncalo Inacio continues to be linked with a move to Anfield, as he continues to excel for Sporting CP. It could also be that a defensive midfielder comes in next month, with Alexis Mac Allister not necessarily a natural in the role, and Fluminense enforcer Andre is one player who has constantly been seen as a possible option.

Klopp is often found to be a manager who is happy to make do with the options already in his squad, but sources in Germany are reporting interest from Anfield chiefs in an up and coming goalscorer.

Liverpool interested in Maximilian Beier

Taking to X, Plettenberg claimed that Liverpool are keen on signing Hoffenheim youngster Maximilian Beier, with enquiries made over his availability – though it is not clear if those came from the Reds.

"Release clause of around €30m in summer. Many top clubs from England inquired about him and are informed about contractual details. Liverpool is interested. Current trend: The 21 y/o striker will leave Hoffenheim in summer!"

Beier could be such an exciting signing by Liverpool if they manage to strike a deal for him in the near future, although it does look as though Hoffenheim will only be willing to allow him to leave at the end of the season. The 21-year-old has been hailed by his current club's sporting director, Alexander Rosen, in the past, who has said of him: "Maxi Beier is a super guy and an extremely talented striker. He is incredibly fast, dangerous and can kick really well."

Beier has generally been used as a centre forward by Hoffenheim this season scoring six goals in 11 Bundesliga starts, averaging 2.4 shots per game, highlighting his level of involvement in the final third.

Klopp could land dream Matip replacement in Liverpool move for £25m colossus

The Reds are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Bundesliga defender.

ByDan Emery Dec 10, 2023

The German could be seen as a backup option to the likes of Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo to begin with, but given his age, he is someone who could mature into a truly formidable footballer over time.

To already be making such a positive impact in one of Europe's top leagues says so much about his ability, and if Klopp and FSG see him as a standout attacking option to bring in and bolster his squad next summer, Liverpool should look to get a deal over the line.

Liverpool proved in their 1-1 draw against Manchester City that they are more than capable of going stride for stride with the Premier League champions once more, having endured a campaign to forget last time out. With a rebuilt midfield and backline far closer to its best, Jurgen Klopp has got the Reds back among English football's top table to ease any fears that last season could be the beginning of a frustrating period of struggle.

It doesn't look as though those at Anfield are resting on their laurels, either, with reported interest in signing one particular star who has already enjoyed an excellent campaign in Germany.

Liverpool transfer news

Liverpool proved their transfer genius once again during the summer transfer window by replacing Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Naby Keita and others with Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo, who have all made solid starts to live in Merseyside. That younger midfield has seen the Reds go from a side struggling to reach Champions League football to possible title challengers yet again in the space of just one summer. Now, those at Anfield seemingly want to add another piece of firepower

.

Klopp must now bench 3/10 Liverpool ace for his "unbelievable” player

The Reds must unleash this press-resistant machine going forward.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 29, 2023

According to Sacha Tavolieri, Liverpool are interested in signing Lois Openda, who scored twice in RB Leipzig's 3-2 loss against Manchester City, including one incredible solo effort. Tavolieri posted on X: "What an amazing performance of Loïs Openda during this first half. Belgian striker’s adapting perfectly with the type of play that fits with RBLeipzig…The transfer market in Premier League already very hot on him – LFC. Wonderful talent."

The Belgian has certainly proved his ability to perform against Premier League sides, ripping City to shreds in the first half, having also scored against Pep Guardiola's side in Leipzig's last game against the Cityzens to make it three goals in two meetings. Now, Openda could get the chance to square off against the Manchester club every season.

"Very special" Openda could be game-changer for Liverpool

Earning a move from RC Lens to Leipzig in the summer, Openda instantly hit the ground running in Germany, making Liverpool's interest little surprise. Openda's stats show that he has even outperformed Mohamed Salah's total so far this season, with 13 goals in 20 games to his name one more than the current Liverpool star has managed this term.

Former Leipzig sporting director Max Eberl was well aware of Openda's ability when he signed in the summer. Eberl told the club's official website: "Lois is a very direct player, who always looks to attack the goal, whether as a centre forward or on the wings. In addition to his pace, his ability to score goals with both feet and his head only adds to the quality he brings. At just 23 years of age, he still has plenty of potential to grow and he will only get better over the coming years with us. Our fans can look forward to a very special player!”

At just 23-years-old, Openda is likely to get better and better, handing Leipzig the toughest task when it comes to keeping hold of their summer signing, who has quickly caught the attention of the Premier League.

Manchester United have endured a rough start to their campaign so far this season. They have gone from arguably the third-best side in the country and one that lifted silverware last year to one that seemingly falls apart when presented with the slightest of setbacks.

Erik ten Hag's men have lost four of their last ten games, including bruising defeats to Manchester City, Newcastle United and Copenhagen. At the same time, they have only beaten Everton, Luton Town, Sheffield United and Fulham.

In short, it hasn't been good enough for a club of United's stature, and while there are a multitude of reasons why they're struggling so much, one of the big ones is the absence of centre-back Lisandro Martínez.

The Argentine – dubbed an "absolute monster" by Luke Shaw – has arguably been the club's best defender since arriving from Ajax last summer, and his removal from the backline has been detrimental to the team.

So it's good news that the Red Devils have been linked to another defender that measures up well to 'The Butcher': Jean-Clair Todibo.

Man Utd transfer news – Jean-Clair Todibo

​​​According to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, United are interested in signing the Frenchman in the winter window and view him as a "candidate" to help solve the squad's defensive issues.

However, Ten Hag's side aren't the only Premier League club interested in the OGC Nice centre-back, as according to the Evening Standard, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool are targeting the player.

The publication has also revealed that any move will likely cost in the region of £39m, which doesn't seem too unreasonable for a sought-after 23-year-old "Rolls-Royce", as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango.

However, United will have to act fast, as Spurs' need for a centre-back is arguably more significant than theirs, and should Liverpool still be in a title race come January, they could find it challenging to sell the United project.

How Jean-Clair Todibo compares to Lisandro Martínez

Now, while you don't necessarily want a team of players that all play in the exact same way, it certainly helps to have centre-backs that can be relied upon and that play together exceptionally well.

Well, with Todibo, United could have precisely that. The Frenchman is both an exceptionally talented and "complete" defender – as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig – in his own right and a statistical clone of Martínez.

According to FBref, the former Ajax man is the most similar player to Todibo across Europe's top five leagues.

Lisandro Martínez

Manchester United

Dante

OCG Nice

Igor Julio

Brighton & Hove Albion

Christian Romero

Tottenham Hotspur

Ibrahima Konate

Liverpool

By looking at their numbers from last season, you can see just how similar the two players are and how they could complement one another were they to form a partnership.

In fact, there are even some areas in which the Nice star outshines his potential new partner, such as progressive carries and passes.

Stat

Jean-Clair Todibo

Lisandro Martínez

Progressive Carries per 90

0.66

0.51

Progressive Passes per 90

4.80

3.53

Attempted Passes per 90

68.4

65.0

Pass completion

88.5%

87.0%

Tackles and Interceptions per 90

3.70

3.67

Stats via FBref for the 2022/23 Premier League & Ligue 1 Season

Now, there may be a case to be made that having two incredibly similar centre-backs would be detrimental to a team's chances; after all, they would share the same weaknesses.

Well, you only have to look at Todibo's own team, Nice, to see that's simply not the case. The second most similar player to the Frenchman is former Bayern Munich defender Dante, who has started 100% of Nice's games this season and, alongside the sought-after 23-year-old, has helped guide the team to second in Ligue 1.

Ultimately, United have the opportunity to sign an exceptionally talented defender for £39m, and with how their season has gone so far, they should grab it with both hands.

Arsenal have made a positive start to the Premier League campaign and could now move to bolster a key area in the January window, according to a report.

Arsenal lose out away to Aston Villa

Despite putting in a fairly respectable display away to Aston Villa, Arsenal ended up on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline courtesy of a smart finish from John McGinn as Unai Emery got one over his old side on Saturday evening. The Gunners remain on 36 points from their opening 16 fixtures and have made a bright start to the Premier League campaign; however, they will be fully aware that losing cannot become a habit if they are serious about contending for the title.

In his post-match press conference, Mikel Arteta looked to indicate his disagreement with the decision to rule out Kai Havertz's late strike that was disallowed due to a handball offence from the Germany international, simply stating to Sky Sports: "I prefer not to comment."

When pressed on the decision, he then went on to add: "Clear and obvious. Clear and obvious. That's what I mean. That's my opinion. That's all I can say."

Having already got into trouble with the football authorities this term after his criticism of Anthony Gordon's winner for Newcastle United against Arsenal last month, the Spaniard looks to have taken a more measured approach this time round despite his clear frustration at yet another controversial VAR outcome in the English top-flight.

Casting an eye towards the January window, the Gunners could now be set to add some firepower to compete with Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah at the Emirates Stadium, according to a report.

Arsenal competing to sign Lois Openda

According to reports in Spain, Arsenal are competing to sign RB Leipzig forward Lois Openda, who is on the radar of a clutch of the world's elite clubs due to his exploits in Germany this campaign.

Lois Openda key statistics in the Bundesliga – (Sofascore)

Shots per game

3.9

Shots on target per game

1.8

Big chances created

5

Expected goals

9.31

Big chances missed

11

Manchester United, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Manchester City are all monitoring the 23-year-old as his stock continues to rise, with representatives from Erik ten Hag's side alongside the Gunners recently sending scouts to watch the Belgium international in action.

This campaign, the former Club Brugge man has been in electric form in front of the target, netting 14 goals and laying on three assists in 22 appearances across all competitions for RB Leipzig (Openda statistics – Transfermarkt). Linking the play is also another prominent part of Openda's game, which is evidenced by the fact he has racked up 51 successful shot-creating actions in 2023/24, with nine leading directly to a goal (Openda statistics – FBRef).

Arsenal could do with adding another clinical figure in mid-season and acquiring Openda, who has been described as having "huge developmental potential" by former RB Leipzig sporting director Max Eberl and a "very good player" by current VfL Bochum boss Thomas Letsch, could give Arteta's side a major shot in the arm as they look to seal Premier League glory for the first time since 2004.

After winning the treble last season, it was always going to be difficult for Manchester City to match such high standards for a second consecutive campaign under Pep Guardiola. That said, the Spaniard may not have expected his side to endure the difficult run that they've recently found themselves, which has included a tricky period in the Premier League.

With Liverpool, Arsenal and surprise contenders Aston Villa all vying to steal England's crown and prevent the Citizens from becoming the first side in Premier League history to win four consecutive titles, Manchester City are reportedly eyeing one particular January addition that could change their fortunes.

Man City transfer news

City were active in the summer transfer window, welcoming reinforcements in the form of Matheus Nunes, Jeremy Doku, Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic, but have since paid the price for their departures rather than reap the rewards of spending big. Without Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte, Guardiola's side have struggled to get back to their blistering best of the last campaign and could now look towards January to replace one specific departure.

According to The Daily Star, Manchester City want to sign Club Brugge winger Tajon Buchanan in the January transfer window and have identified the Canada international as a replacement for Mahrez, who left in the summer. The deal won't be cheap, however, with Buchanan reportedly valued at £50m by Club Brugge ahead of the winter window.

Man City close to losing "excellent" player with talks advanced

A move is progressing.

ByTom Cunningham Dec 8, 2023

Guardiola is reportedly desperate to reinforce his right-hand side, having played both Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva in the role this season instead of welcoming a direct Mahrez replacement in the summer. When January arrives, Buchanan could solve the manager's problem to boost City's title chances once again.

Buchanan can match Doku's Man City rise

Buchanan and Doku are easy to compare prior to the latter's move to Manchester City in the summer. Doku's stats before life at The Etihad didn't make for brilliant reading, with just 12 goals and 10 assists in 92 appearances for Stade Rennais highlighting his struggle for end product. Since making the move to City, however, Doku has already been involved in nine goals in all competitions. In similar fashion to the City winger's Rennes days, Buchanan's stats show that he hasn't been involved in an incredible number of goals at Club Brugge this season, with four involvements in the Belgium Pro League.

Buchanan has already earned plenty of praise throughout his career too, including from former coach Bruce Arena, who told The Athletic:

"Although theoretically he was positioned as a right back he wasn’t really playing right back in those games. He’s more I would say a midfielder because he was attacking up the field. Tajon has qualities to play in a variety of positions out wide. You saw the other night with Canada he played probably as a second forward, attacking midfielder. He’s a player with a lot of qualities, both attacking and defending, and it certainly spells for a great future for the player.”

Chelsea are set to continue their topsy-turvy Premier League campaign on Saturday afternoon as they take on Sheffield United at Stamford Bridge.

In seasons past, this fixture would have been considered an easy win for the Blues, but based on their form this year and the return of Chris Wilder to the Sheffield dugout, it is certain to be anything other than a straightforward occasion when that whistle goes at three o'clock.

That said, a home victory for Mauricio Pochettino's men would do wonders for the sentiment around the club and, depending on the results around them, could bring them back into the top half of the table.

With the taste of their 2-0 defeat to Everton still fresh, additional injuries and a desperate need to start winning again, the Argentine could make five changes to his starting XI on Saturday.

1 GK – Đorđe Petrović

Aside from the result, the injury to Robert Sanchez was one of the worst things to come out of Chelsea's game with Everton last week.

The Spaniard was taken off in the 84th minute and replaced with Đorđe Petrović, who conceded just eight minutes later.

Saturday will be his first competitive start for the Blues, so at least it's against a relegation candidate – famous last words?

2 RB – Malo Gusto

It's another forced change at right-back for the Blues as club captain Reece James also had to leave the game against Everton injured, and now it looks as if he will be spending another extended period on the sidelines – his second such spell this season.

In his place will likely be January signing Malo Gusto, who has started six league games for the club this season and provided two assists along the way.

Pochettino will be keeping an eye on his temperament, though, as he won't want a repeat of the home game against Aston Villa when he was shown a straight red in the 58th minute for a poor challenge.

3 CB – Axel Disasi

The first carryover from the game at Goodison Park is centre-back Axel Diasi. The Frenchman was not particularly good in that game, but he also wasn't the worst player either, and considering he has started 88% of Chelsea's league games this season, it's a pretty good bet that he will be in that XI at 2pm on Saturday.

4 CB – Thiago Silva

Thiago Silva was on the bench for last weekend's embarrassing defeat, and it certainly looked like the team could have done with his leadership in the backline.

Pochettino will likely rectify this mistake against the Blades and put the immensely experienced 39-year-old Brazilian back into the heart of the defence.

5 LB – Levi Colwill

The third change in the defence will be at left-back, as Levi Colwill comes in for the injured Marc Cucurella – another casualty of Goodison Park.

The former Brighton Loanee has played in 15 league games this season – starting 13 – and has bounced between centre-back and left-back, so he should be more than capable of dealing with the Blade's attacks.

6 CM – Moises Caicedo

Keeping his place in the centre of the park will be one of the most expensive players in Premier League history, Moises Caicedo.

The Ecuadorian superstar has started 80% of Chelsea's games this season and, despite the enormous hype around his arrival, has struggled thus far.

The "magnificent" midfielder, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, even gave away a penalty on his debut for the club against West Ham.

7 CM – Enzo Fernández

Starting in the other central midfield role is Chelsea's other £100m man, Enzo Fernández.

The Argentinian has been a mainstay in the side, starting 94% of league games so far this season, and while he isn't producing the attacking numbers that some fans might expect, he is an essential cog in the midfield.

He certainly has his fans in the media as well, with former Arsenal great Paul Merson describing the World Cup winner as "different class – a cut above the rest."

8 RM – Cole Palmer

Speaking of different class, starting out on the right for the game must be Cole Palmer, as regardless of his performance against the Toffees, he is one of the few genuinely bright spots in Chelsea's season this year.

The former Manchester City winger joined the Blues this summer for around £40m, and to say he has hit the ground running would be an understatement.

The fantastically talented attacker has already scored five goals and registered two assists in just nine league starts this term and was described as "absolutely sensational" by Alan Shearer for his performance against City last month.

9 CAM – Conor Gallagher

Another of the Pensioners' bright spots this season keeps his place in the team, Conor Gallagher.

The 23-year-old might not be the most technical player on the pitch, but his work rate cannot be knocked – making over two tackles per 90 – and he has become a much-needed leader in this inexperienced Chelsea side.

Considering he has started 94% of league games this season, it is practically guaranteed that he will be in the XI on Saturday.

10 LM – Raheem Sterling

The last change to the starting XI is on the left, as Raheem Sterling returns to the team in place of Mykhailo Mudryk.

The 29-year-old has started 88% of Chelsea's league games this season and has been in relatively good form, scoring five goals and providing three assists along the way.

The "incredible" winger, as described by Jacek Kulig, will be essential to the Blues' game plan on Saturday.

Manchester United are interested in signing a central talisman to replace Casemiro in January, according to a reliable journalist.

Casemiro receives offer to leave

According to The Daily Mail, Casemiro, Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial have all been made available for transfer next month, with the club’s football director John Murtough having travelled to Saudi Arabia to tout potential suitors.

The Red Devils’ defensive midfielder is believed to have recently received an offer from a mystery club in that particular country, so should he indeed seal a departure in the coming weeks, Erik ten Hag will have to go on a hunt to find a suitable replacement.

Everton’s Amadou Onana appears to have been highlighted as a possible candidate, with the 22-year-old having emerged as Sean Dyche’s second best-performing defensive player so far this season (WhoScored – Everton statistics).

The Belgium international is a long-term target of the hierarchy having reportedly held talks to join over the summer, and while a deal failed to come to fruition before the deadline, chiefs are considering taking a second bite of the cherry to bring him to Old Trafford.

Man United keen on Onana

Taking to X, Sebastien Denis revealed that Man United want to sign Onana, but they aren’t alone in their pursuit with Barcelona also in the race to secure his services in January.

“Exclusive: Amadou Onana impresses in the Premier League and could leave the Toffees next summer or even this winter. Everton is asking for between 55 and 60 million € [£47-51m]. Barca has already met the midfielder's entourage. Manchester United still very interested in the former Lille player.”

Onana is a "one-man army" in the centre

Standing at 6 foot 3, Onana brings a completely different dimension to the centre of the park with his height, where he's not only strong at winning his individual battles in the air, but he also loves to get stuck into challenges to try and win back possession for his team in the Premier League.

Aerial Wins – 2.8

Tackles – 2.5

Clearances – 1.1

Pass Success Rate – 85.4%

The Dakar native is additionally capable of making a positive impact at the opposite end of the pitch having scored three goals and provided the same number of assists since joining Everton last summer, with his desire to get involved both defensively and offensively making him a well-rounded player (Transfermarkt – Onana statistics).

Ten Hag’s target is even a versatile operator having been deployed in five different positions following his arrival on the professional scene, including three roles in the midfield, as a centre-back and even at centre-forward, so he would be able to provide fantastic cover in other areas of the pitch.

As described by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Onana is a “one-man army” because of all of the things that he can do at once, so should the board be able to get this deal over the line in the coming weeks, it would be a massive coup for Ten Hag.

Newcastle United are enduring their first real blip under head coach Eddie Howe since the PIF takeover two years ago which has been compounded by the increased weight of expectations.

More money equals greater expectations and given the Magpies have spent over £400m since Howe took charge of the club, four losses in five games could be deemed a crisis, particularly since the Geordie outfit exited two major competitions in that timeframe.

However, it seems as though the manager will use the January transfer window as a means to alleviate Newcastle’s difficult spell of form.

Newcastle United transfer news – Jonathan David

According to journalist Marco Conterio, Newcastle are set to do battle with Champions League rivals AC Milan for the signature of Lille attacker Jonathan David this winter. The Canada international has been in France for almost four years, even winning the title during the 2020/21 campaign, but now seems primed and ready for a move to English football.

David has been one of the most reliable goalscorers in Ligue 1 since arriving from Gent back in 2020 and was even described as a “silent assassin” by former Canada manager John Herdman.

“Jonathan is one of those silent assassins. He’s very clued up tactically and that’s what I really enjoy about Jonathan, he really wants to get into the details of the game and understand the pressing tactics.”

Now, this silent assassin could be on his way to the Premier League as Howe looks to bolster his attacking department ahead of the second half of the campaign, although a deal could be costly, with Lille reportedly holding out for €60m (£51m) for David’s services.

Jonathan David’s stats this season

David was one of the most prolific players in Europe’s top-five leagues last season, having scored 26 goals in 40 appearances in all competitions, including 24 in Ligue 1. The Canadian finished third in the French top-flight’s charts in the previous campaign, with only Alexandre Lacazette and Kylian Mbappe converting more opportunities.

The 23-year-old scored more goals last season than both of Newcastle’s star strikers Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak who bagged 18 and 11 goals respectively.

However, this season, David’s output has declined as the young attacker has scored seven goals in 23 matches for Lille. This is less than both Wilson and Isak, although only six players have been more prolific than David in the French top tier this season.

While David may not be as potent this term as Newcastle’s two centre-forwards, he is scoring more frequently than £45m signing Anthony Gordon and right-winger Miguel Almiron, who have six and five apiece. Perhaps there is a chance that David could be brought to St. James’ Park as a wide player rather than in his favoured spot up top since Isak was signed for a club-record £63m and will likely be the Mags’ first-choice number nine in the long-term.

The likelihood would be that Howe could deploy Gordon on the right flank while David takes the position on the left-hand side. David has played as a winger before and even has an impressive record, having bagged six goals and three assists in eight matches in the wide areas.

While Gordon was signed for a lot of money, he may be forced to swap to his weaker right side if David arrives at Newcastle as the latter has been statistically better than Howe’s number ten in several key metrics for a winger.

Goals

0.37

0.28

Expected Goals

0.55

0.28

Assists

0.06

0.19

Expected Assists

0.11

0.13

Progressive Passes

3.17

2.95

Progressive Passes Received

7.45

7.41

Shots

2.73

2.04

Goals Per Shot

0.09

0.14

Key Passes

1.06

1.14

Passes To Penalty Area

1.3

1.35

Take-Ons Success Rate %

47.8

29.5

Stats via FBref

This could be an expensive, yet superb deal by Newcastle and would offer Howe’s attack more balance by having a goalscoring "phenom" on the left in David – as described by podcaster Tony Marinaro – and a more creative winger on the opposite side with Gordon.

Sunderland picked up a massive victory against Hull City at the MKM Stadium on Boxing Day to overtake the Tigers in the final playoff place, while putting the ghosts of last Saturday's humiliating 3-0 defeat at home to Coventry City behind them from Michael Beale's debut in the dugout.

Ever the hero this season, Jack Clarke scored the only goal of the game to clinch all three points for his side, putting him on 11 goals in the Championship this term.

The Black Cats' goalscoring burden has been placed heavily on the 23-year-old's shoulders this season but Beale could alleviate this pressure on Clarke by signing one former player in January.

Sunderland transfer news – Amad Diallo

Over Christmas, Football Insider reported that Manchester United are willing to let Amad Diallo head back out on loan in January, having not played a single minute all season for the Red Devils. Reports have also claimed that Sunderland are keen to acquire the Ivorian attacker once more after such a successful spell in England's second tier last season.

Diallo has spent the majority of the campaign sidelined through a serious knee injury which he sustained on pre-season with the English giants. As a result, the youngster is yet to feature under head coach Erik ten Hag in a competitive game this term, although the £9m-rated forward has recently returned to training.

It was recently revealed that the Atalanta youth product was keen to stay at Old Trafford to fight for his place but now it seems as though the decision may be taken out of his hands and a return to the Stadium of Light could be just what the doctor ordered for all parties.

Amad Diallo's stats – 2022/23

Diallo joined Sunderland at the beginning of the previous campaign on a season-long loan spell and quickly became a hero on Wearside. The Ivory Coast international ended the season as Sunderland's top goalscorer in all competitions with 14 goals as Tony Mowbray's side made an unprecedented finish inside the playoff places, unfortunately losing to Luton Town in the semi-finals. Mowbray even described Diallo as "magic" as the loanee finished joint-eight in the league's scoring charts.

Player

Goals

Expected Goals

Chuba Akpom

28

21.9

Viktor Gyokeres

21

19.5

Carlton Morris

20

15

Joel Piroe

19

18.5

Tom Bradshaw

17

13.9

Nathan Tella

17

10.3

Zian Flemming

15

9.6

Ben Brereton Diaz

14

11.9

Iliman Ndiaye

14

12.8

Jerry Yates

14

11.2

Amad Diallo

13

8.1

Stats via FBref

Nevertheless, the difference between Sunderland over the past two seasons is that the club are far more reliant on one player this term compared to the last campaign. The Black Cats have found the net 33 times this season in the Championship. However, this time around, only 11 teams have scored fewer goals. Additionally, Jack Clarke has bagged 33.3% of the side's league goals this season.

In the 2022/23 campaign, Sunderland had three players reach ten or more goals in all competitions: Diallo, Ross Stewart and Clarke, while Ellis Simms followed closely behind with seven. Now, the side's second-highest goalscorer spot is shared between Dan Neil and Jobe Bellingham on four apiece.

The main issue Beale has to fix is the team's lack of potency up top. Nazariy Rusyn, Hemir Semedo, Mason Burstow, Jewison Bennette, and Eliezer Mayenda have all rotated the number '9' position at different times in the season but none have managed to convert a single opportunity, leaving the manager to get creative up top.

On Boxing Day, Beale threw Bradley Dack up top but the ex-Blackburn Rovers star failed to have any impact at all, recording just one shot which registered a measly xG of 0.07 before he was replaced in the 44th minute with an injury. Chronicle Live handed the 29-year-old a 6/10 match rating for his display.

Nevertheless, with a potential arrival of Diallo, Beale could try Clarke up front given how potent he has been for Sunderland this term. The former Tottenham Hotspur man has only started four times up front and has a decent record when leading the line.

Position

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Left Midfielder

40

13

6

Left-Winger

36

8

10

Centre-Forward

4

2

1

Right-Winger

1

0

0

Attacking Midfielder

1

0

0

Right Midfielder

1

0

0

Stats via Transfermarkt

In addition, the new manager could put Diallo out on the wing in Clarke's position to alleviate the loss of the Englishman on the flanks. While Sunderland may lose some aerial threat, the side will have a much better balance in the forward line and won't be as reliant on Clarke's goals with the addition of Diallo.

Michael Beale hasn't quite been able to stamp his authority on Sunderland just yet, the ex-Rangers manager picking up just one win from his opening three games in charge of the Black Cats.

It's not as if the second-tier side have been humiliated in any match under their divisive new manager however, Beale only coming up short with one defeat so far from his opening trio of Championship contests.

He could well tinker with the lineup for Sunderland's lunchtime game on New Year's Day against Ryan Lowe's Preston North End in a bid to find the golden starting eleven that clicks everything into place, a team worthy of competing for promotion and going the distance instead of narrowly missing out on the playoffs.

Here's the Sunderland predicted XI for their showdown with the Lilywhites, with three potential changes from the 1-1 draw with Rotherham United last game present…

1 GK – Anthony Patterson

Anthony Patterson will continue being Beale's first-choice goalkeeper, the Sunderland shot-stopper making three saves last game – as per Sofascore – to ensure the Black Cats came away from Rotherham with at least a point.

2 RB – Jenson Seelt

Playing in an unorthodox right-back position last match, Jenson Seelt still put in a competent display against the Millers.

Seelt's composure on the ball stood out in the game under the New York Stadium floodlights, misplacing just three of his 41 passes before being hauled off by Beale in the second half.

Timothee Pembele will give Seelt competition now however, the former Paris St.Germain defender fit enough for a cameo off the bench in place of Seelt against Rotherham.

Still, Beale should keep faith in his young Dutch defender who has barely put a foot wrong playing as a stand-in full-back to date.

3 CB – Daniel Ballard

Daniel Ballard makes up the next part of an unchanged back four, the ex-Arsenal centre-back resolute versus the Millers with 12 aerial duels won in total over the course of the 90 minutes.

Clearing the ball away seven times too, Ballard will hope his efforts against Preston are rewarded with a clean sheet.

4 CB – Luke O'Nien

Sunderland's captain was the standout performer from a resilient defence against Leam Richardson's hosts last game, winning an astounding 16 duels in total.

Luke O'Nien was also measured on the ball playing out from the back, misplacing just six passes as a calm but authoritative presence in the 1-1 draw.

5 LB – Trai Hume

Trai Hume will also be retained at left-back for the test of the Lilywhites on Monday – switching over to the left-hand side to make up for Niall Huggins being sidelined – with the Northern Ireland international constantly involved in passages of play at the New York Stadium.

Hume would accumulate a staggering 120 touches in the draw, showing off his dominance in the air with four out of five aerial duels won.

6 CM – Pierre Ekwah

Pierre Ekwah will also start against Lowe's Lilywhites, the central midfielder focusing on his football still despite interest from Premier League suitors which is predicted to heat up this January.

Ekwah wasn't at his best in South Yorkshire last match however, only winning a solitary duel in the competitive clash.

7 CM – Dan Neil

Dan Neil and Ekwah have formed a formidable partnership in recent weeks from holding midfield, with Neil the more creative and forward-thinking of the fixed duo.

That was apparent in the Rotherham game, with Neil attempting to test Victor Johanssen in the opposing goal with one off-target effort whilst notching up five accurate long balls in the clash to push his timid team further up the pitch.

8 RM – Abdoullah Ba

The first change Beale could make to his starting eleven would be dropping Patrick Roberts for Abdoullah Ba, gifting the 20-year-old a rare start owing to Roberts hobbling off the pitch last game.

Roberts came off with a suspected muscle issue, but Ba deserves to start regardless of the ex-Celtic man's ailment potentially ruling him out.

Ba impressed throughout the 75 minutes he was on the field versus Rotherham when replacing Roberts, 100% successful with all of his dribble attempts in the contest with the French winger regularly twisting and turning Millers defenders for fun.

The young French attacker will see this as the perfect opportunity to kickstart his faltering campaign again, proving to his manager that he's a useful weapon within the Black Cats ranks to rely upon.

9 CAM – Alex Pritchard

The second change could well see Jobe Bellingham drop out of the starting lineup for the more experienced Alex Pritchard, Bellingham nowhere near his electric best against Rotherham.

Bellingham could well be experiencing lethargy, the teenager rarely given a breather this campaign in an unforgiving league – the 18-year-old midfielder failing to register a single shot on the Rotherham goal, whilst successfully completing just two of his six dribbles on the night.

Pritchard deserves another run-out in Bellingham's place, the former Huddersfield Town man still able to conjure up moments of magic for the Tyne and Wear side despite reaching the twilight of his career now at 30 years of age.

The ex-Terriers man has received glowing praise throughout his Black Cats career for his obvious pedigree and ability on the ball, described in the past as having "incredible technique" by Not the Top 20 Podcast host Ali Maxwell in set-piece situations.

10 LM – Jack Clarke

Jack Clarke also possesses dazzling ability at this moment in time for Sunderland, showcased throughout this second-tier season to date.

Clarke's equalising goal against Rotherham was his 12th strike of the season already, the Tyne and Wear outfit heavily reliant on the former Leeds United man to lead from the front and secure results off his own back.

Not fazed by this pressure on his shoulders whatsoever, Clarke will no doubt want to be the hero again versus Preston tomorrow lunchtime.