VAR may have potentially made a big mistake after failing to check a possible offside on Marcus Rashford after the second Manchester United goal this weekend.

What's the latest on Manchester United and VAR?

On Saturday lunchtime in the Premier League, the Red Devils played host to relegation-threatened Everton at Old Trafford.

In the end, Erik ten Hag and co managed to pick up what was a fairly routine 2-0 win thanks to goals from Scott McTominay and Anthony Martial.

However, it seems as though United may have got a little fortunate with the second goal of the game. Indeed, as this image – shared on Twitter – suggests, when Lisandro Martinez played the initial pass through, Rashford looks to be offside.

Was Rashford offside?

As seen in the picture above, the Man United striker appears to be beyond the last Everton defender. Although Rashford doesn't then touch the ball first, he does make a move towards it, before Seamus Coleman miss controls it.

From this moment, the Englishman then picks up the ball to put it on a plate for Martial who finishes the opportunity with ease to seal the victory.

According to the FA Rules, a player should be flagged if they are stood in an offside position and then challenge an opponent for the ball or clearly attempt to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent; or make an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball; or gain an advantage by playing the ball or interfering with an opponent when it has rebounded or been deflected off an opponent.

With that in mind, it certainly could be argued that Rashford could have potentially been flagged for offside as his presence obviously had an impact on Coleman as the Everton man rushed to try and clear the ball.

Despite the possible offside, nothing was given and it remains unclear if VAR even checked the incident as the TV replays don't always show what the officials are checking behind the scenes.

Had the goal been disallowed that could have potentially seen Everton fight their way back into the game, seeing as they would have been only one goal down with around 20 minutes left on the clock.

In the end, though, the win is key for Man United as they remain level on points with Newcastle in third, while the Toffees sit only above the bottom three on goal difference.

Arsenal may well be fighting atop the Premier League, enjoying a season that could well go down in history, but the pedigree of their title rivals cannot be forgotten.

Manchester City have been in this position countless times before, pushed to their limit by Liverpool only to surpass them on almost every occasion. They are a relentless machine, which would make this potential league victory all the more special.

There are so many moving parts and romantic storylines that have invested the country in this battle. With Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola, it offers a 'student becomes the master' dynamic, as two Spaniards boasting great tactical minds come together.

However, no matter what the conclusion of this campaign brings, one thing is for certain. The former Barcelona man will be keen to ensure there is no such scrap next year.

He will invest heavily, looking to build around his already phenomenal squad with further quality to allow them to challenge on all fronts once again. Therefore, if Arteta seeks to truly build a long-term dynasty at the Emirates, challenging for every honour too, he must seek to do the same.

Despite the rich talent running throughout the current squad, the exploits of some of their former players cannot be overlooked in relation to their most impressive recent assets. The mercurial midfielder Santi Cazorla springs to mind, with his potential successor, Gabri Veiga, seemingly keen on a move to north London.

Who is Gabri Veiga?

The tricky 20-year-old has burst onto the scene for Celta Vigo this season, scoring goals for fun in La Liga and deservedly earning links to some top teams, having been mentioned amongst many Premier League clubs who are seeking to bolster their midfield ranks tenfold.

But with a reported preference for Arsenal over the likes of Newcastle United and a €40m (£35m) release clause present, perhaps the Spanish contingent that has run through the club over the years could be a factor in his preference.

Cazorla stands out as the shining example of such a figure, with his ability remembered fondly by many fans of the Premier League.

A silky customer, the 38-year-old was equally as adept with both feet and could score or assist from anywhere. His ability over a dead ball also became legendary by the end of his tenure, and he would score 29 and assist 45 across 180 appearances.

Having recorded 24 goal contributions in his debut campaign in England, the 5 foot 6 magician would see his career marred by injuries that often left him sidelined for long periods.

However, his impact clearly remains lasting.

In Veiga, there is precedent to believe he could be moulded in such an image, especially given his nine goals and three assists already in the league at such a young age.

Not only this, but when compared to other midfielders across Europe he ranks in the top 1% for non-penalty goals, the top 7% for progressive carries, and the top 2% for successful take-ons (via FBref).

Also branded "incredible" and "dangerous" by Spanish football expert Euan McTear, this equally talented midfielder has all the attributes to emulate Cazorla's brilliance and help maintain their place at the top of English football.

Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha's injury absence is a "massive blow" ahead of the Eagles' vital Premier League clash this weekend, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Is Zaha out of Leeds v Palace clash?

Roy Hodgson made a dream start to life back at Selhurst Park last weekend, securing a priceless 2-1 victory at home to Leicester City. It was a win that gave Palace some much-needed breathing space in the relegation battle, although there is still work to do.

With nine matches to go, the south Londoners are 12th in the Premier League table but still only three points above the drop zone, highlighting how tight things are currently. On Sunday afternoon, they make the trip to fellow relegation strugglers Leeds United in what is a huge game for both sides.

Unfortunately, one player who will be unavailable for the game is Zaha, who has been ruled out for several weeks with a groin injury. It is a major setback for Hodgson, given the Ivorian's talismanic nature for Palace down the years, having been their most reliable source of goals in the top flight for the last three seasons.

How big a miss will Zaha be?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones bemoaned the situation surrounding the winger, admitting it is a huge blow for the Eagles ahead of such a pivotal run of fixtures:

"It's a massive shame because Zaha has always been used as that difference-maker by Roy Hodgson and he really admires him. He knows how to utilise him as well, so he'll be disappointed."

There is no question that Zaha being out for what could be a big chunk of the remainder of the season is a massive negative for Palace, considering he has arguably been the best player to grace the club over the past decade. The 30-year-old has scored 89 goals and registered 76 assists in 455 appearances for the Eagles down the years, so often proving to be their match-winner in important games.

This season, Zaha has six goals to his name in the league and has continued to be an important figure, and the hope is that others will now step up to the plate in his absence.

The likes of Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise stand out in that respect, with the young pair possessing the ability to be the difference-makers when it really matters, as the latter showed when he scored a last-gasp free-kick to equalise at home to Manchester United earlier in the season.

Points are even more precious now, and with the Eagles yet to win in the league without Zaha featuring this term, they will have to break new ground to keep their survival charge going.

كشفت تقارير صحفية تطورات إصابة لاعب فريق ليفربول، كوستاس تسيميكاس، بعدما تعرض للإصابة في المباراة الجارية حاليًا ضد آرسنال.

ويستضيف ملعب “الأنفيلد” مباراة الفريقين في قمة منافسات الجولة الثامنة عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2023/24.

واضطر كوستاس تسيميكاس إلى الخروج في الدقيقة 33 من عمر الشوط الأول (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

جاء خروج تسيميكاس بعد تدخل من بوكايو ساكا، جعل اليوناني يندفع ناحية خط التماس حيث اصطدم بالمدرب يورجن كلوب، الذي سقط بدوره على لاعب فريقه.

وظهر تسيميكاس وهو مُصاب بقوة في منطقة الكتف، حيث لم يتمكن من استكمال المباراة.

وحسبما ذكرت شبكة “جول” العالمية، فإن كوستاس تسيميكاس نُقل إلى المستشفى بعد استبداله على الفور، حيث يعاني من إصابة في الترقوة.

West Ham United are expected to move on from manager David Moyes before the beginning of the 2023/24 campaign.

Will West Ham sack Moyes?

There are now just 12 games remaining in West Ham's Premier League campaign as they find themselves battling at the wrong end of the table.

However, with the international break now nearing its conclusion, the Hammers have stuck with their 59-year-old manager for the time being.

There have been reports throughout the campaign that the Scottish manager's time at the London Stadium was under significant threat amid their poor form.

And speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, journalist Toby Cudworth has suggested that the Hammers will have moved on from Moyes by the time the next campaign begins:

"[David] Sullivan felt that if there was anybody who was going to get West Ham out of the mess that they're in, it was probably David Moyes, and that's why he's not been sacked to this point.

"However, it is our understanding that at the end of the season, come what may – even if West Ham are relegated or if West Ham stay in the Premier League – David Moyes is not going to be continuing at West Ham."

Should West Ham stick with Moyes?

It now feels as if the potential opportunity to move on from Moyes this season has passed with the international break the perfect time for a club to assess their situation.

That was seen in north London as Tottenham Hotspur made the decision to relieve Antonio Conte of his duties with 10 games left in their season.

However, up to now, the Lilywhites are yet to bring in his permanent replacement with Cristian Stellini and Ryan Mason set to take charge until the end of the campaign.

And that carries significant risks with neither coach bearing much experience as a first-team manager throughout their careers.

This was potentially part of the Hammers' thinking over the last week-and-a-half with their situation being a lot more precarious than that of Spurs given their league position.

The results under Moyes have not been great this season with the comparison between this campaign and last season showing a lot to be concerned about.

However, if there was no favourable option out there on the market for West Ham, then sacking Moyes could've posed a huge risk as they look to maintain their Premier League status.

On paper, West Ham would appear to have one of the stronger squads amid the bottom nine sides and certainly one of the most experienced managers.

And with this in mind, sticking with Moyes could see the 59-year-old rely on his experience to pull the Hammers out of danger with a couple of wins potentially taking them up to 12th spot in the table.

There is a lot at stake for West Ham in the final weeks of the season, however, it does feel like a small run of good form could be enough to drag them out of danger.

Scottish champions Celtic continue to march on in the defence of their league title, with the Hoops looking rather imperious as a result of the consistent brilliance of highly-coveted boss, Ange Postecoglou.

Lauded for his "beautiful attacking football" by BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves, another defining feature of the 57-year-old's tenure has been his "exceptional" recruitment record, according to ex-Parkhead skipper Scott Brown, having regularly snapped hidden gems on the cheap.

As Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge stated last season, the likes of Reo Hatate, Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda have "ripped the league to shreds" since arriving from Japan, with few having anticipated such a stellar impact from that standout trio.

They are not alone in having proven truly astute business for the Old Firm outfit, however, with fleet-footed winger, Jota, having also blossomed into a real leading presence in Scottish football since his initial loan arrival back in the summer of 2021.

How much is Jota worth now?

The former Benfica ace was also something of an understated addition after being snapped up on deadline day just under two years ago, having had a limited impact at first-team level prior to that, notably scoring just twice in all competitions during the 2020/21 campaign while on loan at La Liga side, Real Valladolid.

As it proved, however, the Lisbon native's temporary move to Glasgow quickly developed into something of a masterstroke for Postecoglou and co, with the exciting talent having scored 13 goals and provided 14 assists in all competitions last season.

That scintillating run of form unsurprisingly led to a desire to keep the former Portugal U21 international at the club for the long term, with the Bhoys ultimately able to strike a deal for a fee of around £6.4m ahead of this season.

While that figure places the 24-year-old in seventh on the list of the club's most expensive arrivals of all time – as per Transfermarkt – it would seem that such a deal is still something of a bargain, such has been the forward's remarkable rise in valuation of late.

According to Football Transfers, the £17k-per-week magician is now said to be worth as much as £13m, with that roughly equating to an increase of 103% in relation to the £6.4m fee that was paid out back in July.

Such a rise has no doubt been vindicated due to the 5 foot 9 man's strong showings once again in the current campaign, with Jota having scored 13 goals and provided 11 assists across all fronts to date.

The winger's creative quality, in particular, has seen him hailed as something of a "striker's dream", according to pundit Marvin Bartley (BBC Sportscene (24 April 2022, 19:31), with it evidently clear that the signing of the beloved trickster has also been a real 'dream' for those at Celtic Park.

Everton have had little to shout about in recent weeks, with the slight upturn in form seen after Sean Dyche's appointment having now given way to allow normal service to resume. The battle for survival is hotting up, whilst the Toffees are running cold.

Goodison Park has played host to a team devoid of any confidence, which in turn seems to sap all their technical quality away. For all the efforts of the fanbase to keep their side afloat, it seems to get harder and harder to maintain the same level of support that essentially steered them away from the drop last campaign.

However, that was also a year in which they boasted the attacking talents of Richarlison, who took that season by the scruff of its neck to ensure relegation was not even a possibility.

In a team lacking any cutting edge, the Brazilian somehow notched ten goals and five assists to swiftly announce himself as a hero on Merseyside.

His exit was inevitable, and his replacement was seemingly not found.

However, there have been glimpses of someone who might be at the very least trying to step up amidst the misery and mediocrity, in Dwight McNeil. Although they fell to another poor defeat on Saturday against Fulham, the former Burnley winger was one of few who could have finished feeling somewhat proud of their display.

How did Dwight McNeil play vs Fulham?

Having seen his teammates spurn numerous golden opportunities during their sole period of dominance, the 23-year-old seemingly took it upon himself to fire them level; the kind of quality and character that has been lacking within this squad.

Turning from James Garner's pass, the trickster opened up onto his left foot and arrowed an equaliser into the bottom right corner. This came just minutes before he would set up Neal Maupay, who couldn't miss yet somehow found a way. Finishing the game with a goal and two key passes merited his 7.8 Sofascore rating, the joint-highest of anyone on the pitch.

Frustrated writer Peter Guy took to Twitter to hand as much praise as he could muster for the youngster, claiming: "For me, McNeil was the only one with any credit today."

This strike marked his second goal in his last three home games, showing how Goodison Park is finally starting to become a true home for the summer signing who joined on a £20m fee. For comparison, the £25k-per-week gem had scored twice in his previous 24 league appearances this season.

It may not be the most imperious form, but at the very least it notes someone standing up to try and keep this huge club in the division. For this, Dyche deserves credit; but to ensure another season of Premier League football, he must encourage others in his squad to follow suit.

Arsenal are eyeing a move for Brahim Diaz ahead of the summer transfer window as Mikel Arteta looks to bolster his squad for the Champions League next season.

What’s the latest on Brahim Diaz to Arsenal?

According to Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), AC Milan, where Diaz has spent the last two seasons on loan, are looking to keep the player on a permanent basis.

His parent club, Real Madrid, are said to be demanding around €25m (£22.3m) for anyone to sign him – and Arsenal appear to have already made a move.

Arteta has reportedly ‘asked for information’ regarding Diaz, and he could well look to make a swoop for his compatriot when the transfer window opens.

Could Arsenal sign Brahim Diaz?

With the Gunners looking forward to appearing in the Champions League for the first time in seven seasons next term, this should allow them to attract higher-quality players, and Diaz is certainly a viable option.

The strongest area of this Arsenal side is their ability to score goals from wide areas, with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli netting 27 goals between them so far this season, but it's clear that Arteta needs to add some depth to his squad – and Diaz could be perfect.

Even Pep Guardiola has lavished praise on the 23-year-old, dubbing him “incredible”, and we believe the Milan star is statistically similar to Raheem Sterling, which could be good news for Arteta.

Sterling has been a consistent goalscorer in the Premier League during his career, netting over 150 times, while his pace is a valuable asset. If the 41-year-old is able to sign someone like Sterling, he could further boost his squad there is no doubt about it.

Indeed, this season, the two players have registered similar statistics with regard to goals (five to four), shots per game (1.81 to 1.79), successful take-ons (29 to 27) and shot-creating actions per match (4.59 to 3.38), suggesting that Diaz would make for an excellent addition to the Arsenal squad.

The 23-year-old has created nine big chances and averages 1.1 successful dribbles per game in Serie A, which demonstrates just how much of an attacking threat he poses, and although Arteta’s starting XI is extremely strong, a lack of strength in depth is arguably a weakness that needs resolving.

This summer could be an exciting time for the Emirates faithful, and if they win the league title, there could be a few high-profile additions come the start of next season.

Liverpool are in desperate need of reinforcements this summer following a concerning campaign that sees them sat eighth in the top flight.

As such, the addition of James Maddison has been touted.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in James Maddison?

According to 90min, Liverpool have registered an interest in the Leicester City star.

As per the report, the Reds are joined by fellow Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur in contacting the versatile midfielder's representatives ahead of a possible summer swoop.

Should Liverpool sign James Maddison?

It is no secret that adding quality to the centre of the pitch will be imperative for Liverpool if they want to improve their ability to compete at the highest level next season following a tumultuous campaign.

The Reds have lost out on every opportunity to win another trophy this season and are currently ten points adrift of the Champions League qualifying spots inside the top four with just ten games left to close the gap.

Not only that, a number of midfielders will be out of contract this summer with Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner set for an Anfield exit, paving the way for Jurgen Klopp to rebuild the heartbeat of his team with quality players who can add quality and refresh the stale starting XI.

Indeed, Maddison has had a phenomenal season so far when he has been on the pitch, but if Liverpool were to pursue the midfielder this summer, they could be setting themselves up for another Keita disaster.

Over 22 league appearances, the 26-year-old "super talent" – as dubbed by Danny Murphy – has scored nine goals, registered six assists and created eight big chances during an impressive season for goal involvements.

Furthermore, the England international has averaged 2.3 key passes and 2.7 shots on goal per game, proving he would be a hugely valuable asset to the attacking threat at Anfield.

However, just like Keita, Maddison has a horrendous injury record and, as a result, has become unreliable in Leicester's pursuit of survival in the Premier League this term.

The Foxes talisman – who has a reported price tag of £50m – has tallied up 20 separate incidents of injury since late 2018, which is just three shy of Keita's injury record (23) in the same period of time.

There is no doubt that Liverpool's injury problems have been a massive contributor to their demise this season, with the Merseyside club recording the highest number of absences in the entire Premier League so far.

As such, investing a lot of money into Maddison and replacing Keita with a player who boasts a similar injury record makes little sense, irrespective of his overall quality.

With that being said, Liverpool must learn from their past mistakes when it comes to acquiring injury-prone players and should avoid reinvesting their strict transfer budget into a player who is unreliable and often unavailable to contribute.

Glasgow Rangers need to undergo some major rebuilding during the summer transfer window if they wish to overcome their Old Firm rivals at the top of the Premiership table next season.

Michael Beale has enjoyed a solid start to life at Ibrox. However, heading into this weekend, the gap between them and Celtic sat at 12 points – and this is unacceptable.

There has been progress, with the likes of January signing Todd Cantwell settling in well, and he could certainly be the figurehead of a new era under Beale.

One area the Englishman must get right is that of a good solid goalkeeper, as Allan McGregor and Jon McLaughlin have been poor this term. The duo have conceded 46 (1.4 per game) and 18 (1.8 per game) goals respectively this term, and with a combined age of 76, the time has surely come to bring in someone slightly younger.

Beale could plump for a player who looks set to become a free agent this summer, and having played in the English Premier League during his career, Jack Butland could be an ideal signing.

Could Rangers sign Jack Butland?

Rangers were linked with Butland last summer; however, a broken finger suffered in pre-season ruined any chances of a deal going through.

We think Beale should try and make a move for the ‘keeper, especially as the current Manchester United loanee is set to become a free agent this summer as Crystal Palace are seemingly happy with their options heading into 2023/2024.

This could prove to be a major coup for the Gers, with Butland only 30 years of age, he could become the No 1 for the foreseeable future, and with plenty of experience in England, it could be considered a no-brainer to offer the 6 foot 5 titan a deal.

Across his career, Butland has appeared 87 times in the English top flight, keeping 21 clean sheets in those games.

There is no doubt that the goalkeeper hailed as "really skilful" by Erik ten Hag has a wealth of experience, also winning nine caps for England. Meanwhile, Joe Hart has proved that moving from England to Scotland later in your career can generate excellent results, as he has enjoyed a resurgence since turning out for the Hoops.

Beale will surely be keeping tabs on the Palace shot-stopper, and hopefully he makes his move sooner rather than later as the Gers aim to reclaim the SPFL title next year.