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Everton have struggled once again in the Premier League this season with a relegation scrap plaguing the majority of their campaign and despite Sean Dyche improving the performances, there is still plenty of work to do at Goodison Park before it's over.

The Toffees climbed into 15th and went two points clear of the relegation zone following their well-fought draw against Chelsea on Saturday night but with the bottom half of the table unstable and tight for points from 12th down, survival is not a certainty ahead of their remaining ten league fixtures.

Indeed, there is no doubt the appointment of the former Burnley boss has had a positive impact on the Merseysiders with the side taking 11 points from his first eight games in charge so far and for some players, they have found their Everton careers revived upon his arrival.

Michael Keane, Dwight McNeil, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Ben Godfrey have all seen their game-time increase since the new manager took the reins and although the players who have been favoured will be thrilled, others will be disappointed to lose their place.

One player in particular who has rarely been seen in the new Dyche era is Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee Conor Coady, a player who despite Everton's struggles this season has quickly become a favourite for supporters owing to his dynamic centre-back partnership in the first half of the campaign alongside James Tarkowski.

Why isn't Conor Coady playing at Everton?

Despite dropping the 30-year-old former Wolves captain in the last four outings, the Everton boss both addressed his absence and sang the praises of Coady ahead of the clash with Chelsea:

"He’s been an immaculate professional, which everyone in the game has always suggested he is. And now I work with him I can see why, because he is."

"It’s fine margins with who we are picking at the moment because there are several players who could argue the case of getting (in the team). It enhances things less for your chances if the team is winning, not always but sometimes."

Over 22 league appearances, the £55k-per-week titan – hailed a "mentality monster" by former teammate Adam Morgan – has scored one goal, tallied up an 85% pass completion rate and six clean sheets, as well as averaging 3.7 clearances and winning 2.3 duels per game, proving that he is a huge influence defensively.

In spite of Dyche's improvements, the Goodison Park faithful have been bemused by the manager's decision to exile Coady with former Everton journalist Adam Jones baffled at the selection of Keane during the Chelsea clash:

"Michael Keane with a weak clearance for the opener, and missing an absolute sitter to make it 1-1.

"Meanwhile arguably Everton's best centre-back still sits on the bench. It's baffling."

To give a fair comparison when considering Coady's superiority over Keane due to the latter's lack of game-time this season, the England international outperformed the unpopular Toffees defender in many attributes last season including pass completion (89.5% v 76.4%), clearances (140 v 128), errors led to shots (0 v 2), take-on success (100% v 87.5%) and ball recoveries (162 v 149).

With that being said, the decision to play Keane over Coady could easily be Dyche's first and only howler at Everton so far with supporters likely to be hoping that Coady's absence won't negatively affect their chances of survival in the Premier League at the end of the season.

Tottenham journalist Alasdair Gold has shared some ‘good news’ on midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur after his serious injury.

The Lowdown: Bentancur sidelined…

The Uruguay international was ruled out for the remainder of this 2022/2023 Premier League season after suffering a knee injury against Leicester City.

The damage sustained in Spurs’ 4-1 defeat is too much for Bentancur to feature again this campaign with the midfielder rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament.

Bentancur had given his side the lead but a collision with midfielder Nampalys Mendy resulted in him being stretchered off – even needing an oxygen tank before being carried away.

The Latest: Gold shares ‘good news’ on Bentancur…

Following the nasty injury, Gold has shared ‘good news’ on the player with Bentancur now undergoing successful surgery in Spain on his ruptured ACL.

While the South American won’t play again this term, this is a crucial step in his recovery as he now begins the long road to rehabilitation before featuring again.

Gold explained:

“Some good news for Rodrigo Bentancur after he had successful surgery in Spain earlier this week on his ruptured ACL.”

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The Verdict: Big player…

Having the 25-year-old back as soon as possible next season will be crucial for either Antonio Conte or whoever is brought in to succeed Spurs’ head coach.

Bentancur had formed a formidable partnership with fellow star midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the middle of the park, keeping the likes of Oliver Skipp and Yves Bissouma out of Conte’s starting eleven.

As per WhoScored, the former Juventus star is Tottenham’s second-best performing player by average match rating -sitting just behind Harry Kane in their top flight rankings.

Bentancur has also registered their joint-highest rate of tackles per 90 whilst even contributing in the forward areas with five goals and two assists.

Former Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard is now interested in taking over at Leeds United, according to 90min.

The Lowdown: Leeds speculation

Gerrard, who shares the same agency as a number of Whites players, including Luis Sinisterra, was one of the first managers to be linked with the Elland Road vacancy last week, but as we know, a move is yet to gather any pace.

Leeds have since looked elsewhere when it comes to replacing Jesse Marsch, with swoops for a number of other targets failing to materialise.

The Daily Mail stated on Monday evening that Gerrard has been noted as a potential option at Leeds but had reservations over the position, something which seems to have now changed.

The Latest: Gerrard update

90min shared a story on Tuesday morning, confirming that Leeds have moved on from former Ajax manager Alfred Schreuder.

They said that Gerrard has now shown an interest in the role and is being considered by the Whites, with former Leeds player and manager Gary McAllister part of his backroom team.

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The Verdict: Why not…

Although Gerrard didn’t enjoy the best of stints at Villa Park, averaging just 1.18 points per game in the Midlands, he has previous success in the dugout after transforming Rangers, helping the club win their first Scottish Premiership title in a decade during the 2020/21 season ahead of Celtic.

He likes to play an attacking 4-3-3 system and may have learned from his mistakes in the Premier League with Villa, so could be a shrewd solution in Yorkshire. Victor Orta also appears to be a long-time fan after first being linked with Gerrard back in 2019, so now could be the time for him to arrive at Leeds.

Journalist Alasdair Gold claimed that Tottenham Hotspur wing-back Matt Doherty may have a future at the club due to his versatility.

What’s the word?

It’s no secret that Antonio Conte has been on the hunt for a new option on the right side of his defence for the entirety of the January transfer window.

Indeed, Sporting Lisbon’s Pedro Porro has been on top of the list and while that deal looked to be close, it now might not quite get completed before the month comes to an end.

Regardless of whether or not a new wingback arrives this winter or not, it doesn’t bode well long term for the likes of Doherty or Emerson Royal. However, Gold has claimed that the Irishman may have more of a chance at staying with the club as he can play on the left flank, too.

Indeed, in an article for football.london, Gold explained: “Right wing-back is the other overloaded area of the squad and both Emerson Royal and Matt Doherty are considered non-locally trained in the Champions League squad.

“If Porro does arrive as expected then offers will be looked at for both players, although Doherty brings left-sided cover as well which Conte appreciates.”

Best option?

As per David Ornstein, a move for Porro is now off with Sporting reneging on terms. However, the 23-year-is said to be “left distraught” after the collapsed move and so perhaps he will be able to force his way to north London yet.

Doherty has started just seven league games for Spurs, while Emerson has been asked to play more in the English top-flight this term with 13 starts under his belt.

While this suggests that the Brazilian is marginally viewed as the better option, it doesn’t change the fact that Conte really doesn’t trust either of the options at right wing-back. So, even if a deal for Porro doesn’t happen this winter, a new player will surely arrive in the summer.

However, as Gold points out, Doherty is able to play on the left and this versatility may make him the better option to keep around as squad depth when Spurs do finally upgrade their defensive options.

Aston Villa are continuing to ‘court’ Marseille and France midfielder Matteo Guendouzi ahead of a potential move, according to a fresh transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Villa keen on signing Guendouzi

Unai Emery continues to eye up new signings to bolster his improving Villa squad, with plenty of time for more January additions after the captures of Alex Moreno and Jhon Durán.

In recent days, few players have been linked with a move to Villa Park more regularly than Guendouzi, who has been backed to return to the Premier League to reunite with his former manager.

The 23-year-old made 82 appearances for Arsenal between 2018 and 2022 prior to moving to Marseille permanently after an initial loan spell, with 66 of those Gunners games coming under Emery.

The Latest: Fresh update emerges

According to L’Equipe [via Sport Witness], Villa haven’t given up on signing Guendouzi yet and are still continuing to ‘court’ him.

It is stated that the player himself feels he can play for a better team, however, which could potentially work against the move coming to fruition.

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The Verdict: Long-term signing for Villans

Should Villa manage to get a deal for Guendouzi over the line, he could be a significant addition to the midfield, having been described as ‘fantastic’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

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He is a more mature footballer than the individual who left Arsenal, now winning seven caps for France, including one appearance at the 2022 World Cup.

A tally of 49 Ligue 1 starts in the past one-and-a-half seasons is a further testament to his growing pedigree. He has also only been booked twice in the league this year, a vast improvement on the discipline issues he showed in north London, picking up 15 yellow cards across two Premier League campaigns.

With John McGinn turning 29 this year and Douglas Luiz possibly leaving in the summer, fresh legs are required in the middle of the park and Guendouzi could be ideal, starting five Champions League games this season and averaging one interception per game in the competition.

Everton are one step closer to signing Largie Ramazani after the player’s camp indicated he would ‘say yes’ to the Blues if they made an offer for him.

The Lowdown: Ramazani linked with Everton move

The 21-year-old is currently plying his trade at La Liga side Almeria, making 15 appearances in Spain’s top flight so far this season and scoring two goals for good measure.

Earlier in the week, Ramazani was linked with a move to Everton, with the club badly in need of attacking reinforcements in the January transfer window.

That has become even more paramount after Tuesday’s humiliating 4-1 defeat at home to Brighton in the Premier League.

The Latest: Fresh update emerges

According to Estadio Deportivo [via Sport Witness], the player’s camp have made it clear Ramazani would ‘say yes to the proposal’ if Everton showed genuine interest in him.

The Belgian’s current Almeria deal expires in the summer of 2025 and he has a €40million (£35m) release clause, though it’s ‘certain’ he’d move for less than that figure.

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The Verdict: Not an immediate fix

Ramazani looks like a talented young player with a bright career ahead of him, so he could be a shrewd signing by Everton, ensuring they continue to build towards the future.

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The two-time capped Belgium Under-21 international isn’t going to be the saviour to the Blues’ attacking struggles, however, so a more experienced figure also needs to come in.

That’s not to say that Everton shouldn’t sign Ramazani, but if he was the only attacker to arrive this month, it is unlikely that their fortunes would suddenly be transformed given his lack of proven goalscoring numbers.

Leeds United are set to make their return to competitive action at home to champions Manchester City in the Premier League this evening, with the Elland Road outfit seeking to move further away from danger with a positive result.

The Whites had gone into the World Cup break on something of a sour note after losing to both Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur in their most recent league meetings, ensuring they are currently just two points above the drop zone – albeit with two games in hand on those around them.

The Yorkshire side’s hopes of avoiding a third successive league defeat later today do appear somewhat slim, however, as they shipped 11 goals and scored none against the Etihad outfit in their two league clashes last term.

Ahead of what will be a tough test for the hosts, here’s how we at Football FanCast predict that Jesse Marsch’s side will line up…

There is seemingly a great deal of uncertainty surrounding just who will be available to feature against Pep Guardiola and co, although the definite absentees will be that of Tyler Adams due to suspension, as well as the stricken duo of Luis Sinisterra and Stuart Dallas.

While there are doubts over a number of other squad members – including Illan Meslier and Rodrigo – the consensus is that they should be in contention to feature, with Leeds seemingly in need of all the help they can get against such ferocious opposition.

With that in mind, we predict that Marsch will select the same defensive unit as the one that lined up against Spurs in their last top-flight encounter, with centre-back Diego Llorente set to remain on the bench despite his recent contract extension.

In midfield, the absence of the aforementioned Adams could well see summer signing Darko Gyabi handed his league debut as the partner to Marc Roca, with the 18-year-old having only made one senior outing for the club to date.

As for the forward line, fellow teenager Wilfried Gnonto should also be in contention for a start on the flanks, with the “aggressive” talent – as described by pundit Noel Whelan – having shown moments of “brilliance” in the recent mid-season friendlies, according to Whelan.

Joining the 5 foot 7 speedster in attack should well be Brenden Aaronson and Crysencio Summerville, with the latter man hoping to continue his hot streak in front of goal, having scored in four successive league games.

Teammate Rodrigo has also netted in each of his last four Premier League games – including a brace against the north Londoners last month – with the Spaniard also looking to maintain that run in the centre-forward berth.

Nottingham Forest haven’t had a fairytale start to their Premier League season and have spent the large majority of their time in the relegation zone. Thus, there is no doubt that Steve Cooper will be working hard over the World Cup break to find ways to improve the team.

The Tricky Trees return to action after Christmas with a difficult clash at Old Trafford against Manchester United and the manager will surely be hoping the good form that Forest found themselves in ahead of the prestigious international competition can quickly resume.

Over their last five fixtures in the top flight, the side picked up points from four of their most recent outings which has contributed to their climb up the table from rock bottom to just one point away from safety in 17th.

Forest have ten players on their books who are currently participating in the World Cup in Qatar with Neco Williams, Wayne Hennessy, Brennan Johnson, Remo Freuler, Cheikhou Kouyate, Ethan Horvath, Brandon Aguilera, Mohamed Dräger, Richie Laryea and Hwang Ui-Jo all hoping they can have an influence on the progress of their respective nations at the tournament.

One newly-signed Garibaldi Red who has found himself out of favour at Forest in the last few games is Wales international Williams and he will be hoping that his performances in Qatar will be enough to earn back his starting role at right-back.

Despite Wales’ struggle to dominate their opponents in the group stage so far, Williams has been one of their most hard-working players in the tournament and has shown his commitment in the team.

Over two appearances, the 21-year-old has won 55% of his duels and tallied up an 85% pass completion rate in his own half, showing composure beyond his age.

He has been superb in a defensive capacity, averaging 1.5 interceptions, 2.5 tackles and two clearances per game.

The £16m right-back hit the headlines when he made his World Cup debut just hours after finding out his grandfather passed away, which led to high praise from team-mate Harry Wilson for putting on a performance despite his grief:

“Neco showed great courage and bravery to play the game,” Wilson claimed.

“Everybody knows to lose a family member is never easy. For that to happen on the eve of his first ever World Cup game…and to put in a performance like that as well, I thought he was fantastic.”

With that being said, Cooper must unleash Williams when he returns to The City Ground after his international duty is over as he could be a game-changing asset to the team over the second half of the season.

Crystal Palace have been dealt a potential setback to their chances of securing a move for Middlesbrough winger Isaiah Jones during the upcoming January transfer window. 

The Lowdown: Palace’s interest in Jones

Last month, it was reported that the Eagles have their eyes on signing the 23-year-old after previously looking at him when he was a youngster. Since then, the likes of Wolves and West Ham United have also been linked with a move for the player.

However, it appears that the south Londoners may have to wait a while before they get the chance to sign Jones.

The Latest: Jones set to stay put

Speaking to TEAMtalk, transfer expert Graeme Bailey shed some light on the situation surrounding Jones at Middlesbrough and what the upcoming January transfer window could hold for him following the recent appointment of Michael Carrick as the Teessiders’ new manager.

He said: “No Middlesbrough player has benefited more from Michael Carrick’s appointment than Isaiah Jones. Carrick has switched him to right midfield from right back. And I am told that he is impressing a lot of clubs.

“He was already on the radar of the likes of Crystal Palace and West Ham. But now others are keen too including the likes of Wolves, Leicester and Southampton. But they can forget about a January raid.

“Boro’s play-off hopes have been reignited and Carrick is going to be backed. Which means they won’t be selling one of their prized assets.”

The Verdict: Wait until the summer

This season has seen Jones score three goals and deliver three assists in 20 Championship appearances.

In addition to having the joint-highest rate of goals per shot (0.19) at Middlesbrough, he has also made more passes into the opposition penalty area (34) than any other player at the club.

Along with his clear attacking prowess, Jones has also shown how useful a defensive figure he can be by winning more tackles (24) and making more blocks (21) than any of his team-mates.

Taking this into account, it’s easy to see why so many Premier League clubs have the winger on their radar and why Middlesbrough are eager to keep hold of him for the rest of the season.

If a January transfer is out of the question, it seems that Palace will have to wait until the summer window to try and get Jones to Selhurst Park.

Sunderland travel to Yorkshire to take on Huddersfield Town on Wednesday evening and Tony Mowbray should unleash Jewison Bennette for his first start.

The Black Cats will be without influential winger Jack Clarke due to suspension at The John Smith’s Stadium after he picked up his fifth booking of the season on Saturday, which opens up a spot on the wing for the exciting Costa Rican.

Since joining from C.S. Herediano during the summer, the teenager has been limited to seven appearances off the bench but has caught the eye with his performances, scoring a memorable equalising goal in the 2-2 draw against Watford.

Bennette would certainly have big boots to fill, as Clarke has been one of the standout performers on Wearside so far this season, with four goals and six assists to his name in the Championship.

Only Ross Stewart has earned a higher average rating in Sunderland’s squad from WhoScored, which emphasises how important the former Tottenham Hotspur man has become in Mowbray’s side, but Bennette deserves his chance to finally show what he can do from the start.

When the 18-year-old joined in the summer he was heavily praised by former manager Alex Neil.

He said: “He is a huge talent and an international player. Our model is to unearth the best young talent and try to develop them, so for everyone, it is very exciting.

“We need to be patient and allow him time to acclimatise to a new country and learn the language – he is certainly one for the future.”

Considering fellow wingers Leon Dajaku and Amad Diallo have both flattered to deceive in their performances so far this season, with their ratings seeing them ranked as the 16th and 23rd-best-rated players in Sunderland’s squad, it is surely time for Bennette to get his chance.

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With Mowbray searching for Sunderland’s first win in four games, it is time that the 58-year-old tried something different and rewarded Bennette with his first start for the Black Cats, in the hope that he can capitalise on the absence of Clarke by staking his claim for more regular football.