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Arsenal were mere bystanders as they watched their Premier League title hopes crumble last night, whilst Manchester City ran riot at the Etihad.

In what had turned into a must-win game for Mikel Arteta's side, given they had drawn their last three games prior, the Gunners were tactically, physically and technically outclassed by a Pep Guardiola outfit who will be quietly confident of now securing their treble.

Few from the visiting side managed to get in the game at all, and despite enjoying 48% of the ball, it never really felt like they were in control. Despite the dominance of the hosts, their goals largely came from capitalising on mistakes. When going toe-to-toe with arguably one of the greatest teams in history, anything less than perfection is not enough.

Simple errors and lapses in concentration afforded sloppy goals, and in the end, the 4-1 scoreline was fair – if somewhat sympathetic to Arsenal.

Their lack of composure and constructed attacks can be attributed to the poor displays of their midfielders, who were run ragged by the magisterial Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian ran the show, only further cementing his legacy as one of the league's best-ever midfielders.

However, Thomas Partey was culpable on more than one occasion of allowing the 31-year-old to ghost past him. As the key defensive stopper in their engine room, this was unforgivable.

How did Thomas Partey play vs Manchester City?

Journalist Charles Watts sought to detail the key events throughout what turned into an abysmal night for the north London outfit, and on more than one occasion highlighted the deficiencies of the Ghana international.

For City's opener, he wrote: "Horrendous tracking of De Bruyne by Partey for the goal. It's a great finish, but Ramsdale really shouldn't be getting beaten by that."

He then berated the 29-year-old again, claiming: "De Bruyne is just finding so much space. He's just running off the back of Partey every time. Arsenal can't pick him up."

The statistics more than supported this lack of defensive solidity, as the midfielder would record just two tackles all game, being dribbled past once. His 95% pass accuracy suggests an economical display, but just one key pass is indicative of backward and sideways recycling of the play, as per Sofascore.

A lack of cutting-edge made the difference in a game they had to win, and Watts was left furious, branding Partey "awful" after the match.

Not only this, but his 57 touches were down dramatically from his average this season of 75.6 per game, highlighting the lack of influence the former Atletico Madrid man exerted.

Having been lauded in the past as a "machine" by journalist Simon Collings, the £200k-per-week enforcer seemingly ran out of steam when it mattered most.

Now just two points ahead of City having played two more games, the title truly is in their hands now. With Guardiola's side having also won their last seven league games on the run, this coveted piece of silverware is now essentially a foregone conclusion. This is not solely because of Partey's underperformance last night, but it certainly did not help.

Manchester United are still thought to be interested in signing Barcelona youngster Ansu Fati this summer, according to a fresh transfer update.

Is Fati heading out of Barcelona?

The 20-year-old burst onto the scene as a huge talent at Barca, and while he remains an enormous prospect currently, his stock has arguably fallen a little in recent years. Having been seen as possibly the star of the club's future, the likes of Pedri and Gavi have emerged as more important players this season, with the winger finding his game time limited overall.

Granted, Fati has still managed 25 La Liga appearances in 2022/23 to date, but only 10 of those have been starts, with Xavi seemingly not considering him a key man. For that reason, the Spaniard has been linked with a move away from Camp Nou once the summer transfer window arrives and United have emerged as one of the front-runners to snap him up.

The Red Devils will surely look to make significant attacking reinforcements come the end of the season, with a big-name centre forward needed, as well as more competition for playing time out wide.

Now, it further looks as though Fati could be a genuine United summer target, with a new transfer claim emerging.

Is youngster joining United?

According to Sport [via Sport Witness], lots of clubs are interested in signing Fati this summer, but "‘especially Manchester United", suggesting that they are the favourites to snap him up. Barca could be willing to sell him, in order to receive huge money for his services, although the player himself may ideally rather stay up, as long as he was given assurances over his importance moving forward.

No other rival competitors are specifically mentioned in the report, so United appear to be in a healthy position with regard to getting their man.

Fati could be an inspired signing by the Reds if they manage to seal a summer move for him, considering his long-term potential and the fact that he has already made 98 appearances for Barca, not to mention scoring 26 at the same time. He has been hailed as "spectacular" by Xavi, and at just 20, he still has so much maturing to do as a player.

The only slight issue he could have is the fact that he plays in the same left-sided role as Marcus Rashford, so fitting him in could be tricky, although he could be viewed as a superior option to Antony, who has only scored three goals in the Premier League this season.

Everton are reportedly eyeing up a potential move for Lyon striker Moussa Dembele on a free transfer.

The Lowdown: January interest

Everton were reportedly linked with a move for Dembele in the January transfer window, but a deal never materialised in the end.

He is out of contract in the summer, meaning that he can leave Lyon as a free agent at the end of the season.

The Latest: Everton on the table

As per Spanish news outlet Mundo Deportivo, the Goodison Park outfit is an option ‘on the table’ for Dembele, should he leave as a free agent.

However, they will face competition from both Atletico Madrid and Southampton for his signature.

The Verdict: No-brainer

The Merseyside club have been goal-shy in the Premier League, as they are the joint-lowest scorers in the division with 19 goals.

Hailed as a ‘scoring machine’ by L’Equipe journalist Bertrand Latour, Dembele would come in and immediately fix that problem.

The 26-year-old has scored an impressive 140 senior goals over the course of his club career so far, which includes experience in the Premier League with Fulham.

He has even been dubbed the ‘new Didier Drogba’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, a player that gave the Toffees nightmares when playing for Chelsea, as he scored eight goals and made four assists in 16 games in total against them (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, on a free transfer, the Blues could do little wrong by snapping him up.

Newcastle United have showcased a real willingness to invest in potential stars for the future in recent times, with Eddie Howe overseeing the arrivals of budding gems like Harrison Ashby and Anthony Gordon of late, along with the 2022 acquisition of Australian teenager Garang Kuol.

As much as short-term success will be on the agenda for PIF, the new regime also appear keen to build for the future, with that focus on the long-term no doubt emphasised by the Magpies’ reported interest in signing highly-coveted Bristol City starlet Alex Scott.

What’s the latest on Alex Scott to Newcastle?

According to The Mirror, the Tynesiders are believed to be ready to ‘enter the race’ for the 19-year-old dynamo ahead of the summer transfer window, with Howe and co said to be currently ‘running checks’ on the teenage sensation.

The report suggests that the St James’ Park outfit will also be joined in the battle for the youngster by the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace and West Ham United, while Wolverhampton Wanderers were also keen on a deal last month, only to be put off by the Championship club’s reported £25m asking price.

Could Alex Scott be the next Grealish?

The versatile gem – who can feature all across the midfield and on the flanks – has been making waves as a result of his standout displays for the Robins in recent times, having provided five assists in 32 league games so far this season, with all of those outings coming from the start.

Despite his relative youth, the playmaker has already established himself as a regular fixture in Nigel Pearson’s side, having particularly impressed with his ability to put in the hard yards defensively by averaging 2.3 tackles per game this season.

The England U20 international is also a real master at driving his team up the pitch with a surging run from deep, with that trait showcased by his ranking in the top 17% among those in his position in what FBref term as the ‘Men’s next eight competitions’ for progressive carries, as well as in the top 19% for successful take-ons.

That silky elegance has seen young Scott lauded as the ‘Guernsey Grealish’ due to his apparent likeness to Manchester City star Jack Grealish, with Bristol City team-mate Kal Naismith having also talked up that comparison earlier this month.

He told the Open Goal podcast about Scott: “Have a look for this boy, he’s deadly. A few clubs bid for him – he’s played every game for us – he won the Euros (U19s) with England in the summer. Centre mid, little old school, box-to-box. Like a Gerrard kind of (player) – obviously I don’t want to make that comparison, he’s got a long way to go. He’s tall enough, he’s maybe six foot, he can run all day, he’s hard in the tackle, really good on the ball.

“He’s different class, he’s reminding me of when Grealish was in the Champ, he’s obviously more of a centre mid but see that way he takes the ball, lets people get tight to him and then runs away as if they weren’t even there. His past 5-6 games, he’s been tremendous. I can honestly see him going to a top four/five team in the Prem.”

That likeness is further indicated as Grealish is also truly adept at carrying the ball forward, with the former Aston Villa man – who moved to the Etihad Stadium for £100m in 2021 – ranking in the top 1% among those in his position in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries.

As Scott will look to emulate, the Three Lions star has succesfully made the transition from life in the second tier to competing for major honours in the Premier League, with the 27-year-old showcasing his class this season with three goals and five assists in 31 games in all competitions.

The Birmingham native has particularly caught the eye with his ability to draw contact and alleviate pressure for his team, having been fouled 2.7 times per match for City this season, while Scott is only just below that figure as he has averaged 2.2 for that same metric.

To be able to snap up a player of such potential would be a further indication of the great strides forward that Newcastle are making at present, with Howe undoubtedly set to relish the opportunity to nurture the Grealish-esque prospect.

Arsenal’s famous Hale End academy has produced an extraordinary volume of young talent who have gone on to break into the Gunners’ first team.

Alumni such as Ashley Cole, Jack Wilshere and now Bukayo Saka have all played their part in differing generations at the North London side, with the academy more than living up to its reputation.

Wilshere was heralded as one of the brightest talents to emerge from Hale End and became Arsenal’s youngest-ever player to represent the club in the Premier League in 2008, aged just 16 years and 256 days before Ethan Nwaneri broke that record last year.

The Englishman went on to play nearly 200 matches for the club – although it would have been more had he not suffered from a variety of injuries – scoring 14 goals and it remains a career very much unfilled once he moved past the bright start.

Indeed, the club may have another talent in the academy who could go on to have a similar impact as Wilshere by breaking into the first team at a young age, 16-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Is Lewis-Skelly the next Hale End gem to break into the Arsenal side?

The young midfielder has reached an agreement with the club to sign a scholar contract that will commit him to Arsenal until 2025 and he is eligible to sign a professional contract when he turns 17 in September.

The youngster has played 14 matches across the U18 and the U21 sides in the academy, proving he is more than able to match players a few years older than him and has registered six goal contributions, impressive from a midfielder.

Like Wilshere, he operates in a central midfield role, although usually deployed slightly deeper, judging by his attacking contributions, he enjoys roaming forward wherever possible.

His average Sofascore rating over two matches in the Football League trophy was 6.55/10, but this experience would have been absolutely vital for Lewis-Skelly.

Averaging 20 minutes per game, he took 9.5 touches, held an 87% pass success rate, and won 100% of his aerial duels, showcasing his abilities across a range of metrics.

Having travelled to Dubai to train with the first team during the World Cup, manager Mikel Arteta is clearly aware of the talent Lewis-Skelly possesses and he played a crucial role in Arsenal’s win over Watford in the FA Youth Cup at the start of February.

A comeback victory from 2-0 down to prevail 4-2 showed the resilience of the young Gunners and Lewis-Skelly’s performance was praised by journalist Daniel Cutts:

“Just seen the highlights of the Arsenal youth cup win last night. My word, what a player Myles Lewis-Skelly looks. He could be absolutely anything in the future.”

The 16-year-old gem has all the talent in the world and could become Arsenal’s next Wilshere that’s for sure. He will be eyeing a chance to make his first team debut soon, although with what’s at stake this term, he might just have to wait a little bit longer.

Henry Winter has admitted on TalkSPORT that he believes Manchester United will be bought by a nation-state and not Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

The Lowdown: Controversial takeover on the horizon

It is being widely reported that a Qatari investment group are indeed one of the frontrunners to make a move for Man United, although they are not set to overpay for the Red Devils amid their £6 billion price tag.

However, the Middle Eastern investment group are not alone with Man United fan and British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe is said to be working on a package to try and land the Red Devils through his company INEOS.

If Man United were to be taken over by a Qatari group it would raise a whole load of moral questions which were lodged the way of Newcastle United and their fans when their Saudi Arabian-backed takeover went through.

The Latest: Ratcliffe hasn’t got the financial muscle for a takeover

Winter believes that in the end, Ratcliffe won’t be able to compete with the financial clout of Qatar, or any other nation-state, which will be a blow for his takeover bid.

He said: (0:00) “It’ll be the usual suspects, it’ll be the Qatari’s, it’ll be an American consortium and then it’s just a question of Jim Ratcliffe where he individually with his company INEOS, has the requisite billions.

“This is probably another thing the European Super League is looking at as they look at The Glazers, shamefully but profitably for them, walking away with £5 billion so Jim Ratcliffe has a problem where he needs a bit more money through other parties.

“I can’t see how he necessarily does it himself, sadly I think it’ll go to another nation-state.”

The Verdict: Man United takeover talk to rumble on

Given how long protests have been going on in and around Old Trafford towards the Glazers and their mismanagement of the club, many Man United fans will be excited by the fact they could have some form of new owners.

Considering the human rights argument that would be forced on fans if they were bought by a Qatari group, many would surely prefer a Man United fan in the form of Jim Ratcliffe to buy them.

However, at the end of the day money talks so if Qatar can offer the Glazers more cash and allow them to make a more significant profit, then that’s who will end up owning Manchester United.

Wolves have been linked with Bristol City midfielder Alex Scott recently and Matt Hobbs should look to bring him to Molineux after his superb performance in the FA Cup at the weekend.

John Percy of The Telegraph claimed in the early stages of January that Wolves had “been in talks” with Bristol City over a move for the midfielder, although may have to pay £25m in order to secure a deal.

Julen Lopetegui’s side have already brought in Matheus Cunha, Pablo Sarabia, Craig Dawson, Mario Lemina and Daniel Bentley this month, and could potentially return to Ashton Gate ahead of Tuesday’s transfer deadline.

If Wolves do retain an interest in signing the 19-year-old this month, there is no doubt that scouts will have been in attendance at Bristol City’s impressive 3-0 win over West Brom on Saturday and if they were, they will have been very impressed with Scott’s performance.

As per Sofascore, the talented midfielder would earn a superb 8/10 rating for his display, which ranked him as the best outfield player on the pitch from both sides.

The teenager would make it 2-0 in the first half after Mark Sykes’ assist, while he also contributed two key passes, one big chance created and an impressive 91% pass accuracy during the FA Cup tie.

Following the game, Nigel Pearson made a bold claim about the youngster, suggesting that he believes that it won’t be long before we see him in a Three Lions shirt.

He said: “Such is my faith in Alex that I believe he could go on to play for England.”

Suddenly, the Robins’ £25m asking price does not seem so excessive and it could prove a shrewd investment by the Old Gold, especially given the lack of homegrown talents currently in Lopetegui’s squad.

Scott has long been tipped for the top, with pathway manager Brian Tinnion singing his praises when he broke into Bristol City’s senior squad as a 17-year-old.

He commented: “His work rate and his desire to learn has been unbelievable. To start every single Championship game so far as a 17-year-old is excellent.

“He has every single attribute you would want in a professional footballer. He can tackle, he’s great with both feet, he can head the ball, his delivery is good and his overall quality is great.”He lets his football do the talking and he’s getting better all the time. We are really excited about his future.”Saturday’s strong performance was not a one-off for Scott, as he boasts four assists in the second tier so far this campaign, averaging a strong 6.81 rating from WhoScored in his 27 appearances thus far.Therefore, with time running out before the deadline and Scott’s reputation only expected to grow, Wolves should definitely consider a move for the teenager this month.

Tottenham Hotspur are back in Premier League action this evening as they make the trip to the Etihad Stadium to face second-place Manchester City.

Lilywhites boss Antonio Conte is tasked with sparking a reaction from his side after they put in a woeful display against arch-rivals Arsenal at the weekend, a game in which they were outfought and outplayed for the most part.

It also poses a big decision on whether to stick or twist with his starting lineup as mistakes against the defending champions will almost certainly be punished.

Several of his key players have returned from injury and Spurs do hold a very impressive record against the Citizens in recent times, so it’ll be interesting to see what sort of XI he deploys.

Here’s what we are predicting…

There could be as many as four changes to the side that tasted defeat to the Gunners, starting with the long-awaited return of Rodrigo Bentancur.

Missing since his World Cup exploits, the Uruguayan’s absence has been a frustrating one for the team but Conte revealed in his pre-game press conference that he would be available for selection at long last. Given the importance of a result, he should start alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

Despite an error that gifted Arsenal their opener, skipper Hugo Lloris will remain between the sticks but we could see the “reliable” Ben Davies return to the back three, replacing Clement Lenglet on the left-hand side. Meanwhile, out wide, there could be a further two changes with Emerson Royal and Ivan Perisic returning to the starting XI.

They’ll replace Ryan Sessegnon, after the £25m “big talent” – as once dubbed by former teammate Stefan Johansen – was handed a torrid afternoon on Sunday, and Matt Doherty.

Further up the pitch, Conte is likely to keep the faith with Heung-min Son despite his ongoing form struggles, along with Harry Kane, who must improve in front of goal if he’s to find the net against Pep Guardiola’s men.

Dejan Kulusevski should also retain his place after returning from injury last time out, though Bryan Gil is pushing for another start after impressive in what little opportunity he had in the Swede’s absence.

AND in other news, Levy could repeat his big Bruno Fernandes blunder at Spurs with £40m “special talent”…

Aston Villa forward Emiliano Buendia won’t be ‘heading out the exit door’ in January, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Uncertain future

The Premier League winger has started both of Unai Emery’s top flight matches in charge so far, but having fallen out of favour previously under Steven Gerrard, missed out on booking his place at the World Cup.

The Argentine has therefore been surrounded by question marks regarding his future at the club. Following a fresh update, it sounds like he won’t be going anywhere, in the winter market at least.

The Latest: Jones’ update

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones revealed that Buendia isn’t likely to leave in the New Year and is instead determined to stay and fight for his place.

“Buendia, he figured pretty strongly, to be fair, for Villa in the month leading into the World Cup. I’m told he’s still very motivated to produce, particularly under Emery, so I don’t think he’ll be heading out the exit door.”

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The Verdict: Don’t let him go

Whilst Buendia hasn’t been making a significant impact of late, he’s still been dubbed a ‘fantastic player’ by journalist Josh Bunting and it’s pretty easy to see why.

The Mar Del Plata native has posted 12 goal contributions during his time in the Midlands and is a versatile option to have in the squad with the ability to operate in four different positions (Transfermarkt).

Emery’s arrival can be seen as a clean slate for all players, and upon the return of domestic action from this weekend, Buendia will be hoping to force his way back into the fold.

Journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed there is ‘real confidence’ at Leeds United over a new contract for winger Jack Harrison.

The Lowdown: Contract talks

Harrison is set to enter the final 18 months of his current Elland Road deal in January and is still of interest to Newcastle United heading into the New Year.

Reports have suggested that the Whites have opened preliminary discussions over fresh terms in what would see the 26-year-old receive a pay rise.

The wide man started in a friendly against Elche on Thursday as Leeds ramped up their preparations for the Premier League restart with a 2-1 win.

The Latest: Bailey’s comments

Bailey was talking to TEAMtalk to share what he knows about Harrison’s situation. The journalist said that ‘the good news is there is a real confidence’ the Leeds man will extend his stay ‘sooner rather than later’.

“I understand a new deal is firmly on Victor Orta’s agenda. The good news is there is a real confidence that Harrison will put pen to paper sooner rather than later.”

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The Verdict: Promising

It seems as if a new contract for Harrison is likely, and these comments from Bailey are extremely promising.

The club may well be looking to get a deal over the line before the January window opens, which could result in Newcastle taking a step back in their pursuit of Harrison.

Hopefully, a fresh contract will also help the winger get back to his early season form, with the Leeds man without a goal or an assist since August.