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Chelsea need to find a way to get Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang out of the club following his terrible display away at his former club, Craig Burley has claimed.

How did Aubameyang play against Arsenal?

The striker made a surprise start as he returned to the Emirates for the first time since he left in 2022, and was completely anonymous before being substituted at half-time.

He made just nine touches of the ball as per SofaScore, and four of these were from kick-off as Arsenal found themselves 3-0 up and cruising at the break.

The 33-year-old failed to make any sort of impact, winning no duels, and failing to complete a single dribble, and Chelsea fell to their sixth defeat in a row under Frank Lampard.

Speaking on ESPN FC, former Chelsea star Burley claimed that Aubameyang's selection will have annoyed other players, and that the club need to part ways with him as soon as they can.

"He should not wear a Chelsea shirt again, he should not even be allowed at the training ground" he stated.

"I don't know how long he's got left in his contract, is it this year or is it next year? I don't know. Whatever it is, do a deal and get him out.

"It's not the service up to him. I watched him, his attempts at shutting the ball down, he walked around for 45 minutes. It was embarrassing, as was Sterling, as was the midfield and the defending.

"Quite frankly, if I'm on the bench and watching Aubameyang in his current guise, and he's been a good player but he's not now. He's milked it, he doesn't care, he's a liability and that showed again.

"If I'm on the bench and I'm not playing because of him, what's that telling me, because I'm thinking about a different sport. That's embarrassing."

What should Chelsea do with Aubameyang?

With one goal in 15 Premier League appearances for the club, Aubameyang's signing has been nothing short of a disaster.

It is clear that the club need to part ways with him, and given that there have been links with Barcelona, they will hope that there is enough interest in the attacker so they can make a sale, rather than having to terminate his contract.

Chelsea have nothing left to play for this season, and there is simply no benefit to having Aubameyang in the team now. Younger players such as Mykhailo Mudryk and David Datro Fofana should be given opportunities to impress ahead of next season, and they may have watched on with confusion as Aubameyang failed to contribute as he was handed a start ahead of them.

BBC pundit Chris Sutton has claimed that touted West Ham United manager target Michael Carrick hasn't proven himself like David Moyes.

What's the latest West Ham manager news?

The Hammers have struggled for consistency in the Premier League this season, which has left much doubt over the 59-year-old head coach's long-term future.

Indeed, there have been reports in English media that the 41-year-old Middlesbrough boss has been "earmarked" to take over from Moyes in the summer (via Mirror).

However, it's been a good few weeks for the Hammers who have eased fears over relegation with a win over Fulham last weekend, before fighting back from 2-0 down most recently to draw with Mikel Arteta and his top-of-the-table Arsenal team.

With this improved form taken into account,

while talking about Moyes and Carrick on BBC Radio Show 606, Sutton spoke in favour of the current West Ham boss.

Indeed, the pundit said (40:17): “David Moyes, you know, has proven himself time and time again as a good manager.

"Michael Carrick, with the greatest respect, has been managing for five minutes.”

Would Michael Carrick be a good fit at West Ham?

Of course, Carrick is a former Iron, playing 153 games for the Hammers, so he knows the club well – which could help with his inexperience.

However, as we've learnt from Frank Lampard and his troubles as Chelsea manager both past and now present, having a connection with a Premier League team as a player, doesn't guarantee success there as a coach.

And Sutton certainly has a point in that Carrick has only been a full-time senior manager for 27 games so far.

And while his record with Middlesbrough has certainly been impressive, winning 17 of those games, he's nowhere near as proven as Moyes.

Indeed, the 59-year-old has been managing since the last 90s and has taken charge of 196 games with West Ham alone, spread across two spells.

Still, experience isn't necessarily everything. After all, Carrick is the same age as Arteta (41) and the Spaniard has turned Arsenal into a title challenger over just a matter of years in what is his first career job as a senior manager.

With that in mind, there are plenty of pros and cons for both argument and it will certainly be interesting to see what sort of coach the West Ham board look to hire if they do finally part ways with Moyes.

Liverpool were thrashed 4-1 in their Premier League clash with Manchester City at the Etihad stadium earlier today and Jurgen Klopp will surely be massively disappointed with the performance his team put on.

The Reds looked uninspired and at times, uninterested in the meeting with their former title rivals, but the scoreline would've come as no surprise to the Anfield faithful following a season full of lacklustre displays from the Merseysiders.

Liverpool's lack of effort was reflected massively in their overall statistics throughout the game with just 31% possession, one shot on target, over 400 fewer accurate passes completed, and zero big chances created which ultimately led to the visitors being punished by Pep Guardiola's title-chasing side.

Indeed, the inevitable goal machine Mohamed Salah did secure the lead in the 17th minute with his sublime finish, however, the rest of his team did not look to be up to the occasion and carelessly allowed the Egyptian's strike to become a consolation prize when the final whistle was blown.

It way one-way traffic as Manchester City cut through Liverpool's midfield and defence like butter on many occasions with Trent Alexander-Arnold's position, in particular, being exploited over and over again which led to BT Sport commentator Darren Fletcher claiming that the right-back was "dominated" by Jack Grealish.

However, luckily for the boyhood Liverpool ace there weren't many other players who offered much better over their individual performances, with midfielder Fabinho also struggling to make a positive impact and ultimately became the villain at the Etihad.

How did Fabinho get on vs Manchester City?

The £180k-per-week midfielder has been a shadow of his former self over the season so far and has often come under scrutiny for his drop-off in quality in the centre of the pitch and today's display was another sobering realisation that Fabinho may never return to his once-influential presence.

Over his 90-minute performance, the Brazilian dud – dubbed "criminal" against Man City by Kenn Leandre – was dribbled past three times, lost six duels and conceded two fouls, proving that he lacked focus and caused more problems than he solved over the fixture.

The former Monaco man – who earned a lowly 6.2 match rating, as per Sofascore – was also the subject of criticism from GOAL's Neil Jones, with the journalist stating that the 29-year-old 'looked a yard off the pace throughout'.

These horrendous midfield performances have been nothing new for Fabinho and pundits have been bewildered by his rapid decline with former Chelsea full-back Scott Minto claiming earlier this season:

"You talk about (Jordan) Henderson, yes, but you talk about Fabinho at the moment. Who is he at the moment? I don’t know who he is, it’s like his twin brother playing at the moment. He’s certainly not the player that he has been in recent years."

With that being said, it puts a huge question mark over Fabinho's future at Anfield if FSG are willing to heavily reinvest and refresh the midfield this summer but there is no doubt something needs to change and fast.

Manchester United’s revival under Erik ten Hag this season has been extremely impressive at times but if the 7-0 defeat against Liverpool last weekend highlighted anything, it was the lack of depth available to the Dutch manager.

Should Manchester United sell Scott McTominay?

Signings such as Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro have played a huge part in United’s side so far this term but they cannot be expected to play in every game, especially when a quadruple is still mathematically on the cards for Ten Hag’s side so late in the season.

Unfortunately for the former Ajax boss, he has little option but to start Casemiro in every important game, due to the lack of quality replacements in the middle of the park.

Scott McTominay is arguably the prime example of a player who has outstayed his welcome at Old Trafford, and Ten Hag should look to replace him with a better option in the summer.

The Scotland international has been at United since the age of five but 21 years on and he is still warming the bench for the majority of match days, with just 810 minutes of Premier League action under his belt this season.

His rare appearances in the top flight have also emphasised why he needs to leave Old Trafford in the summer, with WhoScored awarding him a shocking 6.44 rating for his performances, which ranks him as the 20th-best player in Ten Hag’s squad.

The 26-year-old, who earns £60k-per-week, started alongside Fred in the midfield for United’s 2-1 home loss against Brighton early in the season and faced criticism from former captain Roy Keane for his performance on Sky Sports.

Keane said (via Manchester Evening News):

“The decision-making and the football intelligence, in particular from Fred — and I’ve said this for a long time — Fred and McTominay are not good enough.

“They won’t get Manchester United back competing at the top. We see it week in, week out. [They are] not up to it.”

Despite primarily being a defensive midfielder, McTominay ranks 10th for tackles, 13th for interceptions and 12th for blocks per game this season, compared to Casemiro who ranks first, second and sixth in the same metrics.

This emphasises that the academy graduate is not an adequate deputy for the former Real Madrid man in United’s midfield, and if Ten Hag wants to enjoy similar success next season without having to play the Brazilian in every game, he should end McTominay’s 21-year stay at Old Trafford.

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has claimed that Newcastle United will look to spend big money this upcoming transfer window.

The Lowdown: Exciting times ahead

Newcastle may not have done enough in the January transfer window to appease fans and maintain their top-four push, as they have started to fade off from their early-season form.

The Magpies only brought in two players last month in the form of Anthony Gordon and youngster Harrison Ashby, although the latter is yet to even make the bench for Newcastle since joining the club.

Not signing a midfielder may well come back to bite the Magpies as they were struggling for options, with Joe Willock in a race against time to be fit for Sunday and Bruno Guimaraes recently serving a suspension.

The Latest: Newcastle to flex their muscles this summer

Downie admitted on Newcastle Fans TV that he fully expects the Magpies to spend big in the summer due to their plans for the football club and not splashing the cash last month.

He said: “I expect the club to go fairly big in terms of transfers in the summer. They kept their powder dry in January, and I do think, moving forward, the aim has got to be to get to semi-finals and get to cup finals a lot – that is what everyone wants.”

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The Verdict: PIF looking to capitalise on this season

It would be insane for Newcastle not to capitalise on what’s been a stunning season by going big in the summer, and we expect them to bolster their squad once again at the end of the season.

Reports have claimed that Yasir Al-Rumayyan has been on Tyneside lately to conduct performance reviews and see how he can help people such as Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi do the best for Newcastle, and that may well have seen transfer plans being discussed for the summer.

If Newcastle want to become consistent challengers for the top four and pieces of silverware as they have been this season, spending big will likely have to become a regular occurrence in summer transfer windows.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has provided his thoughts on Tottenham Hotspur’s reported interest in Brentford talisman, Ivan Toney…

What’s the latest on Ivan Toney to Spurs?

A report from Football Insider late last week claimed the Lilywhites are keeping a close eye on the 26-year-old’s situation with the Bees, with the Englishman believed to be negotiating a potential wage increase in west London.

The former Newcastle United man will likely not prove easy to prise from his current home with his existing contract set to run until 2025, while reports over the summer suggested that he is valued at around £50m.

According to the aforementioned Jones – speaking in an interview with Football FanCast – a potential move for the in-form asset would seemingly only occur should main man Harry Kane depart at the end of the season.

Asked about whether Antonio Conte and sporting director Fabio Paratici could pursue Toney ahead of next season, the respected journalist stated:

“I wouldn’t see Toney go to Tottenham unless Kane was leaving. I think that something like that would have to give before they would actually go into that discussion.”

Could Toney replace Harry Kane at Spurs?

This interest in the Northampton-born marksman comes amid the speculation surrounding Kane’s future at N17, with the 29-year-old having yet to commit himself to the club with just under 18 months remaining on his current deal.

While there has been talk that the England captain would be open to an extension, there will be a lingering concern that the academy graduate could be tempted to move elsewhere, with Premier League rivals Manchester United believed to be weighing up a potential approach this summer.

Trying to replace the long-serving sensation – who has also caught the eye of Bundesliga side Bayern Munich – would prove near-on impossible, with the 80-cap master having only recently surpassed the late, great Jimmy Greaves as Tottenham’s leading scorer with 267 goals in all competitions.

If the north Londoners are forced to fill the £200k-per-week man’s void, however, it may well be wise to turn to the second-highest scoring Englishman in the top-flight this season in the form of Toney, with the latter man’s tally of 14 league goals only three behind that of Kane.

The former Peterborough United ace has proven himself something of a goalscoring “monster”, as per journalist James Wokabi, over the past 18 months or so in the top tier, having scored 26 league goals since the start of the 2021/22 season.

Prior to that, the imposing asset had proven integral in steering Thomas Frank’s side to promotion after netting 33 goals in the Championship, having enjoyed a real resurgence after previously failing to make his mark at St James’ Park, where he featured just four times.

Much like Kane – who has been lauded as “complete” by footballing icon Thierry Henry – Toney does appear to offer more than just his clinical finishing prowess in attack, with that emphasised by the fact the has three assists to his name so far this season.

The physical forward will also have endeared himself to his potential future employers after scoring against Spurs’ bitter rivals Arsenal at the weekend, with the hope being that he could replicate such an impact for Conte and co.

Although no one at Tottenham will wish to see Kane depart any time soon, turning to the Brentford menace would surely help to ease that loss. Paratici ought to keep a close eye on developments heading into the summer, as a result.

Everton are said to be interested in a deadline-day transfer that could transform their season…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Sky Sports reporter Vinnie O’Connor, who noted the main targets that the Toffees would look to do today whilst standing outside Finch Farm.

Of the two targets mentioned, one stands out as likely the most doable and the most important given their need for a striker.

“Another player that Everton are interested in and have been for some time is Viktor Gyokeres at Coventry,” he said.

Whilst he would go on to discuss the financial implications a deal might imply, new manager Sean Dyche clearly remains keen on the Championship marksman. It was claimed yesterday that the Sky Blues would hold out for £25m.

He’d get Goodison rocking

Boasting a hulking 6 foot 2 frame but the ability to take the ball to feet and drive forward, this is a dynamic player who is sure to get Goodison Park rocking. He is the quintessential Toffees frontman.

He is unlike anything that has been seen at the club in recent years and boasts a fine goalscoring record to back it up too.

This season has already seen the Swedish international notch 12 goals and assist a further four, with the 24-year-old poised to cruise past his tally of 17 goals and five assists from the campaign prior.

Gyokeres is a decisive asset to have on your team, with his qualities making him someone capable of winning a game on his own. At present, Everton arguably have no one capable of such a feat.

Having averaged 1.4 key passes per game alongside a 16% conversion rate too from this season, his unquestionable ability is only exacerbated as someone who can both create and score.

Clearly boating great self-confidence too, which is at an all-time low in the Goodison Park dressing room, his manager Mark Robins labelled him “gleaming from belief” after one of the many occasions where his goals had proved the difference back in 2021.

Should he be able to translate this into successful performances on Merseyside, then he could be Dyche’s key catalyst to repair the relationship between the team and the fans and finally, get people excited for every trip to the Grand Old Lady.

Aston Villa are preparing to intensify their pursuit of Real Betis winger Luiz Henrique, and could make an official bid over the coming week…

What’s the word?

On Tuesday, it was reported by the Daily Mail’s Dominic King that Villa boss Unai Emery had failed with a club-record £45m bid for Athletic Bilbao’s prodigious young star Nico Williams, with the player reluctant to leave Basque Country, but the Premier League outfit’s hierarchy has consequently turned attention to Henrique.

King’s report followed to confirm that Emery would not be deterred in his pursuit of a top-class flanker to aid the side’s resurgence, with a fee of £20m likely required to prise him away from the Heliopolitans.

And now, speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Dean Jones has speculated on the situation, affirming his belief that Emery would be well-advised to make a move for Henrique over Williams, regardless of the latter’s refusal to switch allegiances.

Jones said: “To be honest if Villa have Luiz Henrique as a backup option, I feel he is better suited to the Premier League anyway [compared to Williams] and they should go down that route.

“I have been very impressed with the way he makes things happen and I know a couple of other Premier League clubs have been scouting him.”

Grealish 2.0

When Jack Grealish departed Villa Park for dominant Premier League champions Manchester City in a British record £100m deal in 2021, even the most fruitful thinkers among the claret support would have scoffed at an apt replacement falling into the club’s clutches any time soon.

The 27-year-old Grealish’s qualities are so distinctive, his graceful dribbling so enigmatic and adroit, that the mere fact he graced the pitch in the Midlands for so many years has been enough to leave supporters’ hunger sated.

All that could change in the blink of an eye should technical director Johan Lange manage to pull off a coup for Betis’ Brazilian gem Henrique, who has only subsisted on the European scene since last summer, when he left homeland outfit Fluminense for pastures new.

And having made 17 starts for his La Liga outfit, scoring three goals and five assists, the 22-year-old is swiftly asserting himself along the most talented prospects playing in the country, with his marvellous blend of skill and disruptive Grealish-esque dribbling dumbfounding hapless defenders.

There is something about the way Henrique runs with the ball, like a swan gliding gracefully through water, but with a vicious innate knack for breaking down opposition and darting from angle to angle in a captivating tussle of energy.

As per FBref, he currently makes 1.77 dribbles per game over the past year, and should he up the output he will indeed be a deadly force on the ball; Grealish, comparatively, makes 1.64 dribbles per match, which is intriguing considering the calibre of his gliding gait on the pitch.

Hailed as “characterful” and “thrilling” by reporter Graham Hunter, the starlet is an edge-of-your-seat sort of sensation, capable of leaving scores of supporters in pandemonium with his exploits on the field.

This natural sheen of stardom is indeed very much reminiscent to Grealish, and if the current Betis gem can maintain his expansive growth, he could emulate a Midlands icon who recorded a Premier League average rating of 7.54 during his final term, captivating with six goals and ten assists from just 24 starts.

With Aston Villa indeed already willing to part with more than double this amount for Williams, a deal simply must be concluded to continue the ascension towards prominence; Grealish will be reborn in Aston once again.

Tottenham Hotspur are now closely monitoring Lecce midfielder Joan Gonzalez after conducting recent scouting missions, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Interest in Gonzalez

Gonzalez is a very highly sought-after young player, with fellow Premier League side Everton scouting him multiple times, while Juventus and Borussia Dortmund have also been named as interested parties.

Tottenham’s interest in the 20-year-old has already been documented, but they now appear to have their sights more firmly set on the youngster, after the latest development…

The Latest: Scouting missions conducted

According to a report from CalcioMercato (via Sport Witness), Spurs have sent officials to Italy to closely follow the youngster, ahead of a possible approach either in January or the summer.

Dortmund are said to have retained their interest, while Serie A side Napoli could also make a move for the midfielder, who is said to be valued at around £13m.

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The Verdict: Future star?

Despite still being at a young age, the starlet has already managed to put in some brilliant performances in the Italian top flight this season, impressing considerably in November’s surprise 2-1 win against Atalanta, bagging an assist and making two key passes.

The Spaniard has, at times, managed to show his ability going forward, getting his first professional goal for the club in the match against Monza, however the signs indicate that he would be more of a defensive option for Antonio Conte, ranked in the 95th percentile for average blocks per 90 in the last year compared to his positional peers, with 1.82.

Tottenham already have Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in this area of the pitch, while Joao Palhinha has also now emerged as a target, so Gonzalez is unlikely to be considered as someone to make an immediate impact, but he certainly seems like one for the future.

The January transfer window is right around the corner and Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte could be keen to dip into the market to improve his squad.

Spurs are only one point ahead of Manchester United, who have a game in hand over them, in the Premier League table and are currently 10 points off first place.

This could tempt Fabio Paratici and Conte into making moves in January to bolster the side, in order to give themselves the best chance of finishing in the top four at the end of the campaign.

However, they may also look to make signings for the future alongside ones that can make an immediate impact on the first team. One player who would fall into the former category is Borussia Dortmund forward Youssoufa Moukoko.

Tottenham are reportedly keen on a deal to sign the German international who is out of contract at the end of the season and could be signed on a pre-contract in January.

Journalist Ben Jacobs recently tweeted: “Multiple Premier League clubs are prepared to sign Dortmund’s Youssoufa Moukoko in January even though, if he doesn’t agree a new deal, he’s available on a free this summer. Chelsea leading the race. Prior to Armando Broja’s injury, they were making progress on a summer deal.”

He added: “Manchester United are also considering moving earlier and could be promoted by what other suitors do. They have tracked Moukoko for quite some time but are not advanced in talks. Liverpool and Spurs big admirers of Moukoko as well.”

Conte could land the heir to Harry Kane’s throne at Tottenham by beating off the stiff competition from fellow English clubs to land the promising attacker, as he has shown incredible potential during his time in Germany.

Moukoko, who has been described as “raw” by journalist Josh Bunting, scored a whopping 90 goals in 56 U17 matches and 51 goals in 32 U19 outings for Dortmund at youth level before breaking into the first-team set-up.

He made his debut for the German side at the age of 15, becoming the youngest professional player to play a senior match in the country’s history, and has found the back of the net 11 times in 59 outings for the Bundesliga outfit to date.

The 18-year-old has plundered six goals and three assists in eight starts in the German top-flight this season and is beginning to show that he can translate some of his ridiculous form at youth level into a first-team setting.

Moukoko, who was dubbed the “hero” of a clash with Bayern Munich by scout Jacek Kulig, has scored 153 goals and provided 35 assists in 149 matches for Dortmund, in the academy and senior side combined, and these phenomenal statistics suggest that he has the potential to be the dream heir to Kane’s throne at Spurs.

The England captain is 11 years older than the German international and has smashed 262 goals and assisted 62 in 409 games for Tottenham to date.

He has been consistently finding the back of the net over the course of a number of years for the club and Moukoko’s impressive goalscoring record indicates that he could replicate that in the future if Spurs are able to secure his signature.