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Manchester United impressively shook off a plethora of injury concerns to overpower Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Sunday afternoon, with Erik ten Hag’s men notably looking rather solid despite deploying something of a makeshift backline.

With the likes of Raphael Varane, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez – who is out for the season – all absent for the clash with the relegation strugglers, the former Ajax boss saw his squad resources well and truly tested, as Diogo Dalot was notably forced to slot in at left-back.

There is no denying that the latter man has endured a tough time of it since returning from World Cup duty, with the 24-year-old having “regressed in quality” in recent months, according to writer Casey Evans, after looking “a bit off it” since turning out for his country in Qatar – as per The Mirror’s Colin Millar.

Having previously started the opening 15 Premier League games of the season in his usual right-back berth, the resurgence of teammate Aaron Wan-Bissaka – as well as his own injury woes – has seen the former Porto man flit in and out of the side, having memorably been hooked at half-time in the Carabao Cup final triumph over Newcastle United after being given a “torrid” time – as per beIN reporter Andy Kerr.

That recent, underwhelming run had ensured that it was a big call for Ten Hag to trust the £25k-per-week machine in something of an unnatural position against Steve Cooper’s side, although Dalot appeared to pass that big test with flying colours.

How did Dalot perform against Forest?

Having been tasked as the man to fill in for the stricken duo of Shaw and Malacia, the 6-foot sensation was simply “superb” in Sunday’s commanding victory, in the words of former Manchester Evening News writer Hesham Bilal-Hafiz, having hardly looked like a mere makeshift option.

The full-back’s quality was particularly evident as he registered two key passes from his 74 touches on the day, while also proving an effective performer in a defensive sense after winning four of his six total duels.

While there was one notable mishap as an errant touch from the 11-cap defender gifted an opening to opposition striker Taiwo Awoniyi, it was an otherwise serene outing for Dalot, as he recorded a standout 7.9 match rating, as per Sofascore.

The one-time AC Milan loanee’s most telling contribution in that fine outing came late on as he latched onto Antony’s threaded pass before cooly slotting the ball past the impressive Keylor Navas, with that a fine reward for having been ‘incisive and ambitious in attack’, as per GOAL’s Richard Martin.

As was perhaps evident by the array of celebrations that Dalot was keen to produce in the aftermath of that composed finish, it was only the Portuguese’s first Premier League goal for the club – just under five years on from arriving at Old Trafford.

That rare effort capped what was a respectable performance from the £27m-rated man in what could have been a potentially awkward starting berth, as he proved to everybody, most notably Ten Hag, that he’s someone they can certainly rely on moving forward.

Manchester United's recent win over relegation strugglers, Everton saw summer signing Antony produce an encouraging display at Old Trafford, with the Brazil international having been a constant menace down the right flank on the day.

The former Ajax man was simply "tormenting" Toffees defender Ben Godfrey after repeatedly getting in behind, as per journalist Joe Thomas, with it having arguably been the forward's "best game" since joining on an £86m deal back in August, according to club legend Paul Scholes.

Despite that lively showing, however, the 23-year-old can still be "frustrating" – in the words of talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor – having notably spurned a handful of chances against the Merseysiders after firing straight at an impressive Jordan Pickford.

That inability to make United's dominance count was perhaps a factor in the wide man's withdrawal on the 60-minute mark, with more seemingly needed from a player who has scored just three Premier League goals this season.

Antony is, however, a player with a penchant for the spectacular – showcased by the fact that he has won the club's Goal of the Month award on four occasions this season – with supporters likely to have to accept that the mercurial talent may be a player who performs in moments, rather than on a consistent basis.

It looks as if the former Sao Paolo man could be both a figure who can change a game in an instant or leave both fans and teammates scratching their heads, ensuring that he could follow in the footsteps of another previously infuriating, yet magical United man – Nani.

How good was Nani at Man United?

The likeness between the pair was previously noted by The Athletic's Carl Anka back in September, with the respected journalist stating that "Manchester United haven't had a player like Antony since Nani", upon the Brazilian's arrival at the club.

As Anka said of Antony at the time, he is a player who "can look like a world-beater one day, but will need to work on consistency", hence the obvious comparisons to that man Nani, with the former Red Devils man having also had that ability to blow hot and cold.

That was laid bare by the Portuguese's ex-teammate, Rio Ferdinand, who revealed that the winger was a "ridiculous player" who would do things in training that "would blow your mind", albeit while remaining deeply "frustrating" due to the 'inconsistency with his end product".

Much like Antony – who already has impressive strikes to his name against the likes of Barcelona and Manchester City this season – Nani also struck notable, memorable efforts throughout his time in Manchester, having joined the club from Sporting Lisbon back in 2007.

The now-veteran – who currently plies his trade for A-League side Melbourne Victory – was capable of true moments of genius, be it his delightful, delicate dink away at Arsenal in 2010, or his thumping effort at home to Tottenham Hotspur a few years earlier.

Hailed as a "proper player" by Ferdinand, the 36-year-old would ultimately leave United in 2015 after having scored 41 goals and provided 71 assists in 230 games across all fronts, helping the club to win a plethora of major honours in that time.

While, as Ferdinand alluded to, the 112-cap ace perhaps failed to be a truly reliable asset throughout his eight-year stay at the Theatre of Dreams, the 5 foot 10 genius is still fondly remembered for those standout moments of magic that he was able to produce on his day.

It does appear that both Erik ten Hag and Red Devils supporters may have to also get used the inconsistency of Antony over the coming years, although, like Nani, the £200k-per-week man could also be a "difference maker" at times for the club, as per writer Muhammad Butt.

Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris could leave the club at the end of the season after a hugely impressive stint in north London, according to transfer expert Dean Jones.

Has Lloris done well this season?

The 36-year-old has been arguably Spurs' best keeper of the Premier League era, generally proving to be an influential and consistent figure between the sticks. In total, he has racked up 443 appearances for the north Londoners, helping them reach the 2019 Champions League final.

This season, however, Lloris has suffered possibly his poorest campaign to date for Spurs, with a number of mistakes coming his way that simply didn't happen before. He had made four errors directly leading to a goal by January, summing up his woes, and he simply doesn't look like the player he once was.

It could simply be that age is catching up with him, but with his contract expiring at the end of next season, the club will have a decision to make, in terms of letting him go this summer and receiving a fee, or see him move on for free in 2024.

Is Lloris off in the summer?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones talked up the idea of Lloris departing Spurs in the summer, joining Antonio Conte out of the exit door in the process:

"It wouldn't surprise me at all if Lloris did end up following Conte out the door. We know that they’re on the lookout for a new goalkeeper at the moment and the final decision on Lloris’ future is not yet made. But I think it almost makes sense that you start to use this situation as a clean slate."

In truth, Lloris something look the force that he used to be in Spurs' goal, even though Harry Kane recently described him as "fantastic". The 145-cap France international and World Cup winner has been a great servant, but he does now look like an accident waiting to happen in too many games, which has cost his side at key moments.

It makes complete sense for Tottenham to move him on at the end of the season, receiving a fee in the process and using the money to help bring in a younger replacement in such a key area of the pitch. Lloris will always be remembered as a great player in north London, but Spurs can do better than the £100,000-per-week star now, and he has arguably become a weak link.

Leeds United are thought to be plotting a move for former midfielder Kalvin Phillips, less than a year on after selling him to Manchester City, The Daily Star report.

The Lowdown: Struggles at City

Phillips made the move to the Etihad last summer but has endured an extremely frustrating first season under Pep Guardiola. The 27-year-old, who shares the same agency as Patrick Bamford, is yet to start a Premier League game and has featured in just 344 minutes of action.

He has missed parts of the season through injury, however, he did start for England on Thursday in a 2-1 win over Italy. Phillips’ current contract runs until 2028, but it looks as if an exit could already be on the cards as he searches for regular first-team football.

The Latest: Transfer update

The Daily Star shared an update regarding Phillips and Leeds in the last 48 hours. They claimed that the Whites are interested in their former midfielder and will be in the race for his services this summer.

They added that Leeds even had a January approach rejected for the midfielder, with Phillips possibly feeling he has no choice but to move elsewhere at the end of the season, should he remain a bit-part player under Guardiola.

The Verdict: A gamble?

You’d expect that any return to Elland Road for Phillips could involve big money, especially after City paid £45m for his services and handed him a long-term deal on £150,000-per-week – a salary higher than any current Leeds player.

Therefore, a return to Leeds may be viewed as a risk with the player’s lack of game time and injury issues, however, the club are not looking to make Weston McKennie’s loan move permanent in the summer as it stands, so they could be willing to gamble when it comes to Phillips.

If McKennie returns to Juventus, Javi Gracia could be left with just Tyler Adams and Marc Roca as central midfield options, possibly opening up a space for Phillips to return.

Leeds know all about the player’s qualities after he made 234 appearances for the club, with former Whites goalkeeper Paul Robinson saying this about Phillips last year prior to his move to Manchester:

“He was England’s best player last year. His quality is unprecedented. I think he is better than Declan Rice. He offers more going forward than Rice. His energy, his engine and his creativity are there for all to see.”

It looks as if it could be one to keep an eye on, however, Leeds will need to remain in the Premier League over the coming months to stand any chance of securing a transfer.

Tottenham Hotspur want to open talks with Julian Nagelsmann about taking over as manager, in light of the recent departure of Antonio Conte, according to a report.

What are the latest manager rumours from Tottenham?

Tottenham's interim boss, Cristian Stellini, will be given the opportunity to be in charge until the end of the season, but there are four or five managers on the shortlist to take permanent charge at the end of the campaign, as reported by Fabrizio Romano.

At one stage, Marco Silva was reported to be in pole position to take over, while last week Brentford's Thomas Frank was said to be the frontrunner for the job, so it is clear there are multiple people under consideration by chairman Daniel Levy. After Nagelsmann was sacked by Bayern Munich, Tottenham ended their interest in Roberto De Zerbi, instead making the German their priority target, with the club's hierarchy viewing him as an elite-level manager.

Now, as per a report from The Daily Mail, the Lilywhites could be set to formalise their interest in the former Bayern boss, as Levy wishes to personally speak to him about the now-vacant position. The club have drawn up a list of potential options as they look to land a replacement in the summer, with Mauricio Pochettino also said to be in the frame, although there is some opposition to his appointment internally.

Other names linked with the job include the likes of Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner, and his preference for a three-at-the-back system with wing-backs could be a consideration, as the club have spent heavily to bolster those positions in recent times.

Would Julian Nagelsmann work at Tottenham?

The 35-year-old is reportedly open to talks about replacing Conte, but he may want a short period of time to decide on his next role, and with Stellini set to be installed as manager until the end of the season, taking over in the summer could be of great appeal.

Hailed as "fantastic" by sections of the media, the German won three trophies during his time with Bayern, and from the outside his sacking appears very harsh.

The reigning Bundesliga champions are through to the last eight of the Champions League, having defeated Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 over two legs, while they are just one point behind league-leaders Borussia Dortmund domestically. While he does not have prior experience in the Premier League, Nagelsmann is a top young manager, with a proven track record of winning trophies, and he would be a very exciting appointment for Tottenham.

Tottenham Hotspur have recently begun the search for their next manager as Antonio Conte's days are numbered in north London…

What's the latest Tottenham manager news?

The Italian is likely to depart the Lilywhites at the end of his contract in June, though his recent outbursts could lead to that happening sooner rather than later.

Plenty of names have been linked to the potential vacancy, including former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino and another ex-Chelsea manager in Thomas Tuchel.

However, according to the Daily Mirror's chief football writer John Cross, unemployed Luis Enrique, who is reportedly keen to manage in England, is likely to be sporting director Fabio Paratici's leading choice to take over from Conte.

Who could benefit from Luis Enrique at Tottenham?

The 52-year-old is currently out of work after he stepped down from his role at Spain after Morocco beat his side in the last-16 of the World Cup in December 2022.

Previously in charge of FC Barcelona, the Gijon-born tactician won two LaLiga titles, three Copa del Reys and a Champions League during his three-year tenure at the Nou Camp, where he also graced the pitch as a player.

Enrique – once hailed as "remarkable" by Arsene Wenger – is undoubtedly the best manager available right now and his arrival at Hotspur Way could be wonderful news for a player like Ryan Sessegnon, who should have evolved in Conte's wing-back system – but hasn't.

Tried-and-tested veteran Ivan Perisic has often gotten the nod instead, given the pair enjoyed plenty of success together at Inter Milan, but he has shown worrying signs of his age in recent months, meaning that a departure alongside Conte should ultimately happen in the near future.

Enrique's favoured system is a wide and attacking 4-3-3 – the antithesis of the Italian's defensively-minded philosophy – and Sessegnon could act as his next Jordi Alba, who provided six goal contributions across 38 appearances as they won LaLiga and the Champions League.

Tottenham paid Fulham around £25m for the 22-year-old back in August 2019 but are yet to fully see him live up to that price tag, with the wing-back managing just two goals and two assists in the Premier League across the last 18 months.

Despite being hailed as a "huge talent" by his former Cottagers teammate Stefan Johansen, Sessegnon is yet to truly get a sustained chance in the Spurs XI and the arrival of Enrique could not only see him get that but it may also be what he needs to finally fulfil his potential.

His pace and dynamism will help in playing a high back line, whilst his weaknesses of holding onto the ball and discipline will not be as exposed as Enrique will prioritise link-up play over him being the main creator of this team, unlike with Conte, where the wing-backs are crucial to his machine.

Therefore, if Paratici does get his way, it seems as if Sessegnon should be a very happy man heading into next season, given the evidence above.

Journalist Miles Starforth has revealed Newcastle United’s hierarchy are concerned about having to play in the Europa Conference League next season.

The Lowdown: European football is essential for next season

After such a strong start to the campaign, which saw Newcastle pick up positive results against the traditional top six, they have put themselves in a strong position to qualify for some form of European football next season.

However, with just two Premier League wins since the turn of the year, the Magpies have fallen away in the top-four race, although they will go back into the conversation if they were to win their two games in hand.

While Newcastle fans would likely be ecstatic with any sort of European football given they’ve not played on the continent for 10 years when they were dumped out of the Europa League by Benfica, Starforth has claimed that not everyone at the club shares that view.

The Latest: Newcastle worried about playing on a Thursday next season

Starforth has been speaking on the Loaded Mag YouTube channel about how people at the top of the club are concerned about how Thursday night football could impact their league form next season.

He said: “If it’s the Conference [League], then great. I think this club, with the strength in their squad, can attack it. Though the caveat to that, I think there is some concern higher up at the club about what this would mean for their Premier League form.

“There’s no question it would impact Premier League form and we can’t gloss around that. There is that concern there about what it would mean, and I guess it’s how do you minimise that impact on your domestic form [with] those games, the travelling and everything else.”

The Verdict: PIF must build a squad able to compete on multiple fronts

While it’s a natural worry from people higher up at the club who will wish to ensure that Newcastle can competently challenge on all fronts next season, the fans will be itching to have European ties back.

PIF will be looking at West Ham and how their form has fallen off a cliff in the Premier League during their participation in the Europa Conference League and be wary about replicating that, especially as they spent lavishly over the summer to improve their squad.

All of the big clubs in England know how to balance their squads while competing midweek in Europe and not letting standards drop on the weekend in the Premier League, which is the next step Newcastle must make if they wish to become regulars at the right end of the table.

Celtic need to have at least three strong strikers next season if they want to make an impact in the Champions League, according to journalist Anthony Joseph.

The Lowdown: Lacking a true target man

The Hoops enjoyed a superb 2021/22 season, regaining the Premiership title, but that’s not to say that everything was perfect at Parkhead.

Ange Postecoglou didn’t possess a truly ruthless marksman in his ranks, with the goals shared out among the squad and Kyogo Furuhashi leading the way with 20 in all competitions.

It is an area which could be improved upon in the coming weeks, especially with a return to the Champions League group stage next season for the first time since 2017/18.

The Latest: Joseph makes transfer claim

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Joseph highlighted attack as a key area of focus for Celtic in the transfer market this summer.

He claimed:

“If Celtic want to really make a mark in Europe and do well, whether that’s finishing third in the Champions League and getting into the Europa League and having a run there, then they will need at least three solid number nines.”

The Verdict: Attacking firepower required

Joseph is quite right in his assessment, with the addition of a couple of bona fide penalty box predators having the potential to take this Celtic squad up another level next season.

The Scottish champions could certainly do with signing at least one such player, in order for Postecoglou to have a genuine target man as an option, with Champions League defences unlikely to be too scared of the Hoops’ current attack.

It would be a huge shame if Celtic’s hard work comes undone after such a great season, once again exiting Europe’s premier club competition at the first hurdle, and possibly even suffering in the Premiership because of a lack of firepower, too.

Luke Edwards has now shared his views on the arrival of Sven Botman at Newcastle United, thrilled by the show of ambition from the Magpies in beating seven-time European champions AC Milan.

The Lowdown: Botman’s arrival

After a long round of negotiations, the Magpies have now secured the signing of Lille centre-back Botman, who joins Eddie Howe’s side on a five year contract.

Newcastle eventually came to an agreement with the French side after months of talks dating back to January, with a £32m fee deemed acceptable for the promising youngster.

The Toon were locked in a battle with Serie A giants AC Milan to land the 22-year-old defender, with the Italian outfit unwilling to match Lille’s valuation of the player.

The Latest: Edwards’ reaction

Edwards has now shared his views on Newcastle’s latest signing, proclaiming that this is a sign of things to come for the North East club.

Taking to Twitter, the journalist exclaimed:

“Botman was on #nufc scouting list this time last year but there was no chance they could have signed him then and beating AC Milan to do so was simply unimaginable. The times are a changing.”

The Verdict: Great signing

According to SofaScore match ratings, Botman was Lille’s most valuable player for the 2021/22 Ligue 1 season, having averaged an impressive 7.10 score across 25 appearances.

This praise has been supported by teammate Jose Fonte, an experienced Premier League defender, who claimed: “He’s tall, he’s considerably fast, he has a great left foot, he gives great balls between the lines and he reads the game very well. Listen, I loved every time, every game that we played together.

“He’s good now offensively too, he has improved. He scores goals. I think he can deal with the Premier League. For sure it’s going to be a great test for him, but I think he can deal with it, 100%.”

Given such remarks from a player with 177 English top-flight games under his belt, this is certainly an exciting signing for Magpies fans.

As Edwards suggests, beating the likes of Milan to the Dutchman’s signature highlights a huge change in Newcastle’s status as a club across Europe.

Rangers Review and Sky Sports journalist Joshua Barrie has now revealed some positive ‘talks’ which have now taken place inside Glasgow Rangers.

The Lowdown: Talks ongoing…

It has been reported that the Ibrox club held talks with Allan McGregor over his future with the Light Blues last week.

The 40-year-old is out of contract this summer, meaning that he can leave on a free transfer if his deal is allowed to run down.

The Latest: Progress being made

Taking to Twitter, Barrie has revealed that talks between McGregor and Rangers are now ‘progressing’, adding that both sides are ‘keen’ for a deal to be reached.

He outlined: “I understand that talks between Allan McGregor and Rangers are progressing with both sides keen for a deal to be agreed.”

The Verdict: One more year

McGregor’s performances last season, and his overall loyalty to the club, has meant that he is deserving of staying another year with the Teddy Bears.

The 40-year-old remarkably played more than 4,000 minutes of football in total across all competitions in 2021/22, keeping 17 clean sheets in the process, and he has showed no signs of slowing down as of yet.

In Rangers’ memorable Europa League campaign, McGregor saved a penalty, made no errors leading to goals and averaged 2.9 saves per game (SofaScore), being a key player in helping them to reach the final against Eintracht Frankfurt.

If the goalkeeper can continue playing at a high level, there is no reason for the Light Blues not to keep hold of him.

In other news, find out who the Gers are now battling Celtic to sign here!