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Leeds United correspondents Phil Hay and Graham Smyth have relayed news of an injury to Pascal Struijk before the trip to Leicester City.

The Lowdown: Top-rated player

Struijk has been a regular so far this season, playing every minute of Premier League action.

The 23-year-old has been turning out as a left-back due to Junior Firpo’s injury issues and has excelled in the role. As per WhoScored, Struijk is currently Leeds’ top-rated performer in the league and is the only player to average a match rating over 7/10.

However, he looks set to sit out the trip to Leicester as Jesse Marsch looks to get Leeds’ season back on track.

The Latest: New injury

Both Hay and Smyth were at Thorp Arch for Marsch’s pre-match press conference.

Hay stated that Struijk has a ‘minor injury problem’ and will miss the game this evening, while Smyth described it as a ‘fresh injury blow’, hailing Struijk as ‘very good’ this season.

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The Verdict: Not ideal

Marsch confirmed that Firpo will make his first Premier League start of the season at the King Power in Struijk’s absence. The Spaniard has played just 32 minutes of first-team action this season, making just two match-day squads.

Therefore, the news regarding Struijk isn’t ideal, especially as it will mean Marsch using Firpo from the off earlier than he may have liked.

However, Firpo has plenty of experience and has been backed at Elland Road over the summer with the club not adding to their left-back ranks, so now is the perfect time to repay that faith.

90min journalist and Sunderland supporter Michael Graham claims that Amad Diallo is a ‘liability’ when they are under pressure after their 1-1 draw at Luton Town yesterday.

The Lowdown: Stopped the rot

The Wearsiders stopped the rot of two consecutive defeats, and three losses in four, with a well-earned point at Kenilworth Road in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.

Elliot Embleton grabbed the equaliser with just over 10 minutes to go after Carlton Morris had scored in added time at the end of the first half for the Hatters.

The Latest: Diallo a ‘liability’

Taking to Twitter on Saturday evening, Graham claimed that while Diallo was ‘very good on the ball’, he is a ‘liability’ when Sunderland are under pressure.

The journalist said: “Think Amad was very good on the ball today. Liability when we are under pressure though. Definitely needs to engage more with the defensive side of the game.”

The Verdict: Will come with experience

Diallo is only 20 years of age, and his defensive awareness will come with more experience.

On Saturday, the Manchester United loanee lost seven of his duels, made no clearances and was dribbled past once (SofaScore). He was also guilty of losing the ball 15 times, the second-most of any of his team-mates.

However, Diallo impressed attacking-wise, recording two shots on target (the most of any Black Cats player), while he also made one key pass and two accurate long balls (SofaScore).

His primary role is in attack, and if he can work on the defensive side of his game as well, he should improve a lot under Tony Mowbray at Sunderland.

Javier Manquillo could reportedly leave Newcastle United without kicking a ball so far this season.

The Lowdown: Out of favour

Manquillo has found himself completely out of favour this campaign, not making a single appearance and being limited to the bench, sometimes not even making the squad altogether (Transfermarkt).

Eddie Howe already has both Kieran Trippier and Emil Krafth as options in the right-back position, and so Manquillo could be deemed surplus to requirements at St. James’ Park.

The Latest: Cadiz interest

As per Spanish news outlet Estadio Deportivo, La Liga side Cadiz are interested in signing Manquillo, who wants more regular game time.

However, he still has a contract in the North East until 2024, and his £35,000-per-week wages could prove to be a stumbling block.

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The Verdict: Get rid

Given Manquillo’s lack of playing time, and the opportunity to get his wages off of their books, the Tynesiders should seriously be considering getting rid.

They are already well-covered at right-back, and with the Spaniard’s frustrations over not getting minutes, it is best for both parties to part ways.

At 28 years of age, and with two years still left on his deal, the Magpies could still demand a reasonable transfer fee for him as well, so now may be the best opportunity to sell him, with the January window lurking around the corner.

Journalist Ed Aarons believes that Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira may have Monaco left-back Ismail Jakobs ‘on his radar’ ahead of a potential move.

The Lowdown: One left-back

The Eagles were active in the transfer market over the summer but failed to add to their left-back ranks. Tyrick Mitchell is the club’s only out-and-out left-back, with the versatile Jeffrey Schlupp also able to fill in when needed.

Attention is already turning to the winter window, though, and Aarons thinks that Jakobs, a Senegal international who can play anywhere on the left-hand side, could be a target.

The Latest: Aarons’ comments

Aarons, talking to GiveMeSport, believes that Vieira may be keeping an eye on Jakobs and his performances at the World Cup ahead of a potential move to rival Mitchell.

“Really top class left-backs are a bit of a premium, but I think Crystal Palace could do with somebody to give a bit of competition to Mitchell.

“Maybe he’s on their radar because the Senegalese link with Crystal Palace is quite strong.”

The Verdict: One to watch?

Jakobs, who is known for his pace, is just 23 years of age but appears to be at the peak of his powers with a career-high £6.3m Transfermarkt valuation.

Paul Mitchell dubbed Jakobs “quality” following his move to Monaco, where he has since gone on to make 53 appearances for the French side.

Therefore, a move to Selhurst Park for Jakobs could be one to keep an eye on following Aarons’ comments, so it may be worth seeing how he gets on in Qatar.

Newcastle United are reportedly ‘still monitoring’ Armando Broja ahead of a potential loan move in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Broja on new contract

Speaking before Chelsea beat Dinamo Zagreb 2-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday night, the Albania international claimed that he loves to play for the Blues after signing a new bumper deal in the summer.

The striker has made 15 senior appearances across all competitions so far this season, but has only started in one of those games (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Newcastle ‘still monitoring’ Broja

Taking to Twitter, Ben Jacobs has revealed that Newcastle are ‘still monitoring’ Broja ahead of a potential loan move in January, having been linked with him in the summer.

The CBS Sports journalist said: “Broja getting minutes under Potter. Everton and Newcastle still monitoring in case a loan (with no option) does become available. But it’s not something Potter or Chelsea are planning for right now even if other attackers come in.”

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The Verdict: Sensible…

Signing Broja on loan in January could be a sensible move by the Magpies, considering that Alexander Isak has had injury problems and has been ruled out until after the World Cup in Qatar (Premier Injuries).

Hailed as a striker with ‘incredible pace and strength’ by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp, the 6 foot 3 Albanian was a menace on loan at Southampton last season, where he managed nine goals and one assist in all competitions (Transfermarkt).

However, it appears that this may be a difficult deal to execute in January, so Eddie Howe and Newcastle should have other targets prepared in case a move for the Chelsea gem falls through.

Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher is set to start for the Reds in tonight’s Carabao Cup clash against Derby County. 

The Lowdown: Liverpool in action

Following their 2-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League over the weekend, the Merseyside club begin their defence of the Carabao Cup as they welcome League One side Derby to Anfield for their third round clash.

This is Liverpool’s penultimate match before the World Cup break, which will commence following this weekend’s round of league fixtures, including the Reds’ home game against Southampton.

Looking ahead to this match, it appears that one rarely-seen figure in Liverpool’s squad is set to be in the starting XI to take on the Rams.

The Latest: Kelleher to start against Derby

Speaking to the media ahead of tonight’s game, Liverpool’s assistant manager Pep Lijnders was asked if Kelleher will start against Derby.

He replied: “Yeah, Caoimh deserves it. If you shoot the last penalty in [in the final], it would be a disgrace if we took him out now!

“I think, honestly, one of my proudest moments in football was after the game when we won this cup.

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“Caoimh, if you see a talent grow and you see talents turn into men and if you see men with personality and braveness and you go into a final and he takes the last penalty… and after the game we have this moment together, it means a lot.

“So, if nothing happens today he will start for us.”

The Verdict: Time to shine

Despite not making an appearance for Jurgen Klopp’s side so far this season, everyone at the club will know what the 23-year-old is capable of as he played in four of Liverpool’s Carabao Cup games last season, including the final.

As Lijnders referenced, Kelleher had the honour of scoring the decisive penalty at Wembley that day as the Reds prevailed against Chelsea after a marathon shoot-out.

Across those four games, the Irishman faced 17 shots on target and made 15 saves in total, highlighting how capable shot-stopper he is when called upon.

Taking this into account, it’s easy to see why the Reds have seemingly decided to put Kelleher in the starting XI for tonight’s clash against the League One side.

Scottish champions Celtic currently look well-placed to retain their league title crown heading into the World Cup break, with the Old Firm outfit now nine points clear at the summit following what’s been a truly relentless run of domestic form.

The Parkhead giants have now lost just once in the top flight since September 2021, with that rare blip having come away to St Mirren earlier this season, bringing an end to a remarkable 38-game unbeaten run in the process.

It was perhaps no coincidence that result came with first-choice centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers out of the side due to injury, with the stand-in pairing of Moritz Jenz and Stephen Welsh having been “all over the place” against the Buddies, in the words of journalist Josh Bunting.

The USA international’s absence in that loss only served to further rubberstamp his importance to Ange Postecoglou’s side, with the 24-year-old having been simply imperious since his initial loan move to Glasgow just over a year ago.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man proved crucial to the club’s title success last term – keeping 17 clean sheets in just 33 league games – having been dubbed the “best player in Scotland last season” by BT Sport pundit and ex-Bhoys striker Chris Sutton (05/10/2022, 19:41).

Such dominant showings for the 11-cap colossus – who has recently earned a place in his nation’s World Cup squad – have continued in the current campaign with six clean sheets in just 13 league games, having also showcased the other side to his game as he has completed 100% of his total dribbles, while also recording a 92% pass accuracy rate as a sign of his strength in possession.

The centre-back’s rise has even seen him take on the captain’s armband in the absence of regular skipper Callum McGregor, having been dubbed “an example to everyone else” for his on-field displays by teammate David Turnbull.

The fear will likely be, however, that such performances will attract notable suitors sooner rather than later, particularly should the Southend-born menace impress in Qatar, having reportedly been courted by a number of Premier League clubs before signing a permanent deal at Paradise in the summer.

As such, Postecoglou could well be wise to already be thinking about the future, with the club’s academy ranks potentially an ideal place to find a potential heir to Carter-Vickers at the heart of the backline.

One such centre-back who could well be an ideal candidate to step into the 6 foot 1 brute’s shoes is teenage starlet, Dylan Corr, with the promising 17-year-old having caught the eye for his displays in recent times.

The young Scotsman notably started all six of his side’s UEFA Youth League games this season – including the impressive 2-1 win over RB Leipzig – while he has also been a regular fixture for the club’s ‘B’ team despite his youth, making 14 Lowland League appearances so far this term.

The Glasgow-born talent was notably lauded for his performance in the win over Edinburgh University at the weekend, having been dubbed “excellent” by coach Stephen McManus following that 4-2 triumph.

While Corr won’t be one of the handful of youngsters making the trip to Australia with the first team for the upcoming Sydney Super Cup, he is certainly a talent whom Postecoglou should be keeping a close eye on.

New Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Julen Lopetegui has been tasked with trying to reverse the Midlands side’s current slump, with the Molineux outfit currently rock-bottom of the Premier League with just ten points from their opening 15 games.

The 56-year-old’s task has been made somewhat more difficult as a result of the transfer decisions that were made by his predecessor Bruno Lage over the summer, including allowing long-serving skipper Conor Coady to join top-flight rivals, Everton, on loan.

Another potential blunder that the former Benfica boss now looks to have made is the sale of promising youngster, Morgan Gibbs-White, with the highly-rated Englishman currently starring for the Old Gold’s relegation contenders, Nottingham Forest.

The 22-year-old playmaker – who was part of the England U17 side that won the World Cup back in 2017 – had risen up through the youth ranks at Wolves before forcing his way into the first-team ranks, although was unable to truly establish himself in the side, making just 12 Premier League starts for the club.

The Stafford-born sensation was allowed to join Sheffield United on loan for the 2021/22 campaign, ultimately scoring 12 goals and providing ten assists during a stellar stint with the Blades in the second tier as the club narrowly missed out on promotion.

A return to Lage’s squad back at his parent club had seemingly been deserved for the exciting asset, although Wolves subsequently agreed to the academy graduate’s departure to the City Ground for a reported fee of a staggering £42.5m.

Although that hefty price tag may have simply been too good to turn down, Lopetegui may now be ruing the fact that the club allowed such an “absolute gem” to move on – as described by journalist Daniel Storey – with Gibbs-White now flourishing in his new home.

The 5 foot 7 starlet has proven particularly impressive in recent weeks with two goals in his last two games, including the solitary strike last time out to help Steve Cooper’s side to a 1-0 triumph over Crystal Palace.

That has ensured that the England U21 international now has four goal involvements to his name so far this term, with only former teammate Ruben Neves able to match that tally for Wolves this season.

Such an impact for the Garibaldi has seen the versatile machine lauded as a “bargain” by journalist Callum Castel, with Ethan Lamb also noting that the player has been “worth every penny” despite his hefty cost.

It looks at present that Gibbs-White could be the man to help steer Forest to safety, with there potential for that to come at the expense of those at Molineux.

As such, Lopetegui could well be ruing the major blunder of Lage to allow the one-time Swansea City loanee to head for pastures new.

Aston Villa could make an offer for Atletico Madrid midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia.

The Lowdown: 2022 links

Villa have been heavily linked with a move for the left-footed Kondogbia this year after former manager Steven Gerrard scouted the player back in April.

Gerrard watched the 29-year-old in the Champions League against Manchester City, with reports suggesting that Villa made a late attempt to sign the player in the summer.

As we know, a transfer failed to materialise, but it looks as if Villa, now under the guidance of Unai Emery, may return for Kondogbia in 2023.

The Latest: Transfer update

Sports Witness relayed an update from a Spanish outlet regarding Kondogbia on Wednesday.

They claimed that Villa will return to the fray for the midfielder and could make a bid close to €25m.

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The Verdict: Versatile…

Kondogbia is primarily a holding midfielder but can also turn out as a centre-back and a central midfielder, so would provide Emery with an option in a number of areas.

That could be handy, along with the fact that the player has plenty of experience at the highest level in France, Italy and Spain.

He’s been described as a ‘veteran’ by journalist Josh Holland when comparing Kondogbia to other midfield Villa targets earlier this year, so he could be a shrewd signing as Emery looks to take the club to the next level.

Leeds United academy coach Michael Morton has departed Thorp Arch to become assistant manager at York City, as per Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Morton’s career

Morton has held various coaching roles over the last 20 years, with his first stint at Leeds coming back in 2003 as a lead coach for six years.

Since then, he has also been a lead coach with Manchester City, academy manager with i2i Football Academy and head coach at Tadcaster Albion before returning to the Whites in 2018. However, he has now left the Yorkshire club to pursue another opportunity in the National League.

The Latest: Morton departs Leeds

York City confirmed on Friday that David Webb has taken over as first-team manager.

Hay, who has been covering the World Cup for The Athletic, relayed the Leeds-related news, with Morton set to assist Webb at the York Community Stadium.

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The Verdict: A blow for Leeds

Morton has plenty of experience when it comes to working in Leeds’ academy, so this update on his departure isn’t ideal, but one that is totally understandable given the opportunity which has arisen.

The Whites have plenty of exciting young talent at Thorp Arch, with Morton and co helping a number of players progress into the first team at Elland Road in recent years.

Sam Greenwood and Cody Drameh are just two examples of players who have graduated from the academy ranks to subsequently become first-team squad members at Leeds.

The Whites may now be on the lookout for a new academy coach following this news, and hopefully Morton will have a successful period at York alongside Webb.