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Sunderland have been dealt another injury blow with the news that Dennis Cirkin has suffered a hamstring problem, journalist James Hunter has confirmed.

The Lowdown: Sunderland lose Stewart to injury

Tony Mowbray’s team were beaten 1-0 away to Middlesbrough on Monday evening, in what was a lethargic Championship outing from the Black Cats.

Sunderland’s night was dealt a big early blow with the news that star striker Ross Stewart had picked up an injury before kick-off, ruling him out of proceedings.

After the game, a fresh fitness update on another star man also emerged.

The Latest: Cirkin also out

Taking to Twitter, Hunter shared Mowbray’s comments regarding Cirkin, with the left-back suffering a hamstring issue at the Riverside Stadium:

“Mowbray: ‘Hamstring injury for Cirkin. Another one who’ll need a scan’.”

The Verdict: Big test of resolve

After such a strong start to the season, there is no question that things have unravelled a little for Sunderland, with Alex Neil leaving, two defeats in the space of three matches and injury problems mounting.

This is now going to be a big test of the Black Cats’ resolve in the coming weeks, with Stewart and Cirkin both important figures who will be big losses. The latter has been such a strong performer at left-back this season, averaging 2.8 clearances and 1.8 aerial duel wins per game in the league.

Mowbray’s men need to battle their way through this tricky period ahead of matches against Millwall, Reading and Watford in the next 11 days, ensuring they remain in and around the playoff positions heading into the international break.

Liverpool took an embarrassing defeat in Naples last night, losing 4-1 in the worst defeat for any English side in a Champions League opening game since 2003, and Jurgen Klopp will surely be working hard to understand what is going wrong.

The Reds have had a disappointing start to the season, breaking their own records for all the wrong reasons with the side enduring their worst start in the Premier League since the arrival of their legendary German coach, collecting just nine points from their first six outings in the top flight.

The deflated manager came out in his post-match interview to reveal that Liverpool need to “reinvent” themselves following the humiliating performance against Napoli.

As a result, Klopp must finally ditch veteran midfielder James Milner after seven years with the club as his performances haven’t been up to scratch over the season so far and at 36 years old, he shouldn’t be relied upon to start in the midfield three.

According to WhoScored, Milner is being dribbled past more than any other player in the entire Premier League this season per 90 minutes (3.8), and it comes as no surprise when you look at his output in the league.

Over six appearances the Liverpool midfielder has lost 69% of his duels combined and loses possession of the ball every four touches, with his poor ball control translating into his awful performance against Napoli last night.

The £150k-per-week dud who is “no longer the answer” according to talkSPORT’s Ade Oladipo was the worst rated (5.4) player on the pitch according to SofaScore, committing four fouls including a penalty, winning just three of his 11 duels, completing none of his crosses (0/1) and making no interceptions.

To an extent, Klopp’s hands are tied when it comes to deploying a fit and available midfield at the moment with Thiago Alcantara just returning from injury whilst Jordan Henderson, Fabio Carvalho and Curtis Jones are all sidelined.

With that being said, something needs to change and fast at Anfield if Liverpool are to have any hope of picking up convincing results as their pursuit for more trophies is looking more difficult than ever under Klopp.

Leeds United chief Victor Orta is thought to be a ‘big fan’ of Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe.

The Lowdown: Lowe’s managerial career

Lowe has progressed through the Football League as a manager in recent years and is actually represented by the same agency as Leeds star Luis Sinisterra.

The 43-year-old has taken charge of Bury, Plymouth Argyle and now Preston and likes to use a 3-5-2 system. He is now approaching 250 games as a manager, and it looks as if he has impressed Orta in recent years.

The Latest: Leeds interest

Sky Sports commentator Gary Weaver name-checked Leeds during live coverage of Preston’s meeting with Burnley on Tuesday.

Relayed by Deepdale Digest, Weaver said that Orta is a ‘big fan’ of Lowe and has taken ‘some interest’ in the Preston boss, mooting a potential future move.

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“He does have an attacking brand of football as we’ve mentioned and it’s been noticed elsewhere.

“A big fan of his is Victor Orta, the sporting director at Leeds United, he’s taken some interest in what Ryan Lowe does, and he may be on a list of future potential Leeds United managers at Elland Road.”

The Verdict: One to watch

Knowing that Leeds like Lowe is interesting, so it could be a manager to watch closely over the coming years, providing Orta remains at Elland Road.

Of course, Leeds officials will be hoping that Jesse Marsch’s stay in Yorkshire is a successful one, but there will come a time when the club will need to look for his successor.

Lowe could well be on that list when the time arrives, and who knows, he may already be a top-flight manager by that point with his stock seemingly rising.

Ibrox boss Gio van Bronckhorst has been handed a huge Rangers injury lift over Ryan Jack ahead of the Europa League final next week…

What’s the talk?

Bundesliga journalist and commentator Derek Rae has revealed that the club are expecting the midfielder to be fit enough for the Europa League final next week.

The reporter has also confirmed that Scott Wright will not miss out on the game after he suffered a blow in the club’s 4-1 win over Ross County.

Rae tweeted: “After his goal, Scott Wright had to leave the pitch due to a bruise but his use in the final does not seem to be in danger. Rangers are confident that the important sweeper Ryan Jack will return, but for attacking all-rounder Kemar Roofe it will probably be tight.”

Supporters will be buzzing

The Light Blues’ supporters will surely be buzzing over this news, as having Jack fit and available is a major boost for the club.

He has not featured in a matchday squad for the Gers since the 3-1 win over RB Leipzig in the semi-final of the Europa League earlier this month but looks set to be winning the race to be ready to face Eintracht Frankfurt in Seville on Wednesday night.

Jack has been sublime in Europe for the Gers this season. After an injury-hit start to the campaign, he returned to fitness and has started eight matches in the Europa League for Van Bronckhorst, averaging an excellent SofaScore rating of 6.94.

The Scotland international has made 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game and won 55% of his duels in the Europa League. This shows that he has been able to consistently hold his own in the middle of the park, winning the ball back off the opposition on a regular basis and providing the attack with a solid base from which to work.

He and John Lundstram have started all eight of the club’s knockout ties, although the latter has played at centre-back on occasion, and they have formed a strong partnership in midfield.

Therefore, the 30-year-old’s return will be a major boost for Van Bronckhorst’s side. Jack has proven that he can put in top-quality displays alongside Lundstram, helping the club to beat the likes of Braga and Borussia Dortmund along the way, and the supporters will be buzzing with his availability as they will want to see the best possible XI out on the pitch in Seville.

AND in other news, Wilson heading for big Rangers disaster on “ridiculous” £6.4k-p/w tank, GvB needs him…

West Ham United blew a two-goal lead against Premier League title-chasing Manchester City at the London Stadium this afternoon to draw 2-2 with Pep Guardiola’s side.

A Jarrod Bowen brace gave the Hammers a two goal advantage going into halftime before a Jack Grealish strike and a Vladimir Coufal own goal saw the visitors equalise.

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However, the Citizens blew a golden opportunity to complete the comeback and extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to six points as Riyad Mahrez missed a late penalty.

For West Ham, a top-six finish is still very much possible, however, the day was about Mark Noble who played in front of his home fans for the final time after an 18-year-long career with the east London outfit.

Although a victory would have been the icing on the cake, a poor defensive performance from left-back Aaron Cresswell contributed to the Irons’ collapse.

The Englishman recorded just 32 touches all match, fewer than the 48 of goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.

Moreover, Cresswell managed to complete just 12 passes out of an attempted 17 at a 71% accuracy whilst providing zero key passes or crosses and just one successful long ball.

With the 32-year-old busy dealing with the attacking threat of City, the left-back made an impressive seven clearances. However, he only managed to make one interception, tackle and block respectively.

Furthermore, with just two duels won out of an attempted seven, Cresswell ended the match having lost 71.4%.

The 32-year-old has been a loyal servant for West Ham since joining from Ipswich Town in 2014 and, without Noble departing, is one of the Hammers’ longest-serving players.

Moreover, with 40 appearances in claret and blue this term, the defender has been a kingpin.

Therefore, this afternoon’s performance was particularly disappointing given his usual reliability as well as the fact that the Hammers were in an excellent position to secure a famous victory.

Manager David Moyes will certainly have a decision to make over the Englishman’s future though with his contract set to expire next summer.

At 32, the Scotsman may be tempted to look elsewhere for a new first-choice left-back, or at least one that will provide Cresswell with more competition next season, especially if the Hammers are to compete in Europe again after being let down today.

AND in other news: 11 games, 0 goals: Bilic made “huge mistake” on WHU dud who cost £2.5m per yellow card

Leeds United are closing in on signing RB Salzburg attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Final day survival

Jesse Marsch, who has previously worked with the 21-year-old in Austria, guided the Whites to survival on the final day after a dramatic 2-1 win at Brentford. Goals from Raphinha and Jack Harrison were enough in west London as Burnley fell to a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle.

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Andrea Radrizzani has now promised to improve the squad ahead of Marsch’s first full campaign at Elland Road, and a move for long-term target Aaronson appears to be edging closer.

The Latest: Romano’s update

Romano took to Twitter in the early hours of Monday morning, revealing that the Whites are closing in on a deal worth £28m for the 21-year-old.

The transfer expert said that a full agreement has been reached with personal terms already agreed, and final paperworks are now to be prepared over a move to Elland Road.

The Verdict: Exciting

Leeds’ last permanent midfield addition was Adam Forshaw back in 2018, so a new marquee midfielder is long overdue.

Victor Orta has also been in talks with Aberdeen right-back Calvin Ramsay in recent weeks, so it looks as if the club are looking to get their business done as early as possible.

Aaronson, who has been labelled a player with a ‘monster mentality’, contributed to 12 goals in 25 games under Marsch at Salzburg, so hopefully he can have the same sort of immediate impact in Yorkshire as Leeds look to improve on what was a disappointing 2021/22 campaign.

In other news: Leeds have also made contact over ‘outstanding’ forward; Orta not messing around

Liverpool are expected to pip Leeds United to the signing of Aberdeen youngster Calvin Ramsay, according to reliable journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Ramsay heading to England

The 18-year-old has emerged as one of the Scottish Premiership’s brightest young players in the last 12 months or so, shining with his performances for the Dons.

Ramsay made a total of 33 appearances for the first team this season and has not looked out of place at right-back, with chairman Dave Cormack describing him as an ‘elite’ level talent.

The teenager has been linked with a move to Liverpool a number of times and a fresh update has now acted as a further boost.

The Latest: Liverpool favourites for move

Writing for The Athletic, Leeds journalist Hay claimed that the ‘high likelihood’ is that the Reds will pip the Whites to Ramsay’s signature this summer.

He has made 39 appearances for Aberdeen in total, scoring once and registering an impressive nine assists.

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The Verdict: Great long-term prospect

Bringing in emerging talent is vital for Liverpool in the coming years, allowing Jurgen Klopp to build another great squad and ensure that the team doesn’t all go past their primes at once.

Ramsay fits the bill to perfection and he could come in as an ideal understudy to Trent Alexander-Arnold, learning from arguably the world’s best right-back.

It would also mean Liverpool would be able to offload Neco Williams permanently, bringing in more funds for new signings in the summer window.

In other news, a fresh Liverpool transfer rumour has emerged. Read more here.

Aston Villa are in the running to sign Yannick Carrasco from Atletico Madrid, according to Spanish publication Sport. 

The lowdown

The transfer window may not officially open until Friday, but Villa have already got a head-start in Steven Gerrard’s first summer market in the Midlands.

They have signed Philippe Coutinho permanently for £18m following his loan move from Barcelona in the second half of last season, shelled out £27.8m on Sevilla centre-back Diego Carlos, brought in Boubacar Kamara on a free transfer and sealed a £3.15m deal for Robin Olsen (via Transfermarkt).

It now seems that Gerrard may have identified Carrasco as a candidate to be his fifth new arrival, with the Belgian playing most of his football this season on the left wing but also featuring on the right for Diego Simeone’s side.

The 28-year-old, who is under contract at the Wanda Metropolitano for a further two years, is valued at £36m by Transfermarkt.

The latest

As per Sport, the noises from Atletico are that Carrasco may be one of the players who is sold in the summer transfer window.

Newcastle United have made him their ‘main target’, but two other Premier League sides have also been alerted.

One of them is Aston Villa, while Tottenham Hotspur are also said to be keen.

The verdict

Signing Carrasco, who was dubbed an ‘extremely underrated’ player by sports journalist Josh Bunting, would be another strong piece of business for Villa.

He has played 219 matches for Atletico, scoring 37 goals and laying on 39 assists, and he’s also earned 55 caps for Belgium, currently ranked as the second-best international side on the planet.

Gerrard has already had the opportunity to watch Carrasco in the flesh, having travelled to Madrid for the second leg of Atletico’s Champions League quarter-final tie against Manchester City in April.

He was apparently there scouting Geoffrey Kondogbia, but the Villa manager would have seen a tidy substitute performance from Carrasco, who won every duel and completed 11 out of 13 passes in his 21-minute cameo.

Perhaps it was on that night that he caught Gerrard’s eye…

In other news, this journalist has dropped a big claim on Villa’s pursuit of Calvin Bassey

Liverpool are reportedly preparing to step up their pursuit of Leeds United winger Raphinha this summer, according to a report from The Mirror. 

The lowdown: Anfield admiration

Directly contributing to 31 goals in 65 Premier League appearances since arriving from Ligue 1 outfit Rennes in October 2020, Raphinha has made a spectacular impact for the Whites and was integral to the Yorkshire club’s survival last term.

That form has led to strong links with a move away from Elland Road for the Brazilian winger, with Barcelona long touted as the main suitors.

However, having initially been linked with Raphinha last year, it appears as though the Reds could be about to reignite their admiration for the 25-year-old…

The latest: Klopp’s a ‘fan’ of Raphinha

As per The Mirror, Liverpool are said to be ‘ramping up’ their interest in Raphinha ahead of the summer transfer window.

It’s claimed that Jurgen Klopp is a ‘big fan’ of the 25-year-old and could be willing to ‘sacrifice’ Takumi Minamino as part of a deal, as the Japanese forward has previously worked with Leeds manager Jesse Marsch at Red Bull Salzburg.

The report added that the man lauded as a ‘magician’ by team-mate Dan James is valued at £60m and ‘fits the bill perfectly’ for the Reds, as Klopp and Julian Ward seek a potential replacement for the seemingly wantaway Sadio Mane.

The verdict: Better options…

Although signing Raphinha would appear to be a sensational piece of business from Liverpool, the skilful Brazil international predominantly operates as a right winger and cuts in from that side on his left foot, a position occupied on a near-permanent basis by Mohamed Salah at Anfield.

After ending the campaign operating as a centre-forward following the success of Luis Diaz’s capture, Klopp and co would be best served to replace Mane with a natural central option, a role that the eight-cap Brazil ace has carried out on just one occasion in his career.

Despite another stellar campaign in 2021/22, during which Raphinha scored 11 times and provided three assists in 35 league outings, at the mooted lofty asking price Liverpool should be looking elsewhere for their Mane successor. They have already been credited with an interest in the likes of Darwin Nunez, who may be a better fit for the number nine role, having racked up 34 goals in the most recent campaign.

In other news: Another Liverpool rumour has emerged regarding this winger

Manchester United are interested in Leicester City defender Wesley Fofana, according to a report from RMC Sport (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: Hot prospect

Signed for £36.5million from Ligue 1 outfit St Etienne as a 19-year-old in 2020 (The Guardian), Fofana has enjoyed a meteoric rise to stardom in the Premier League.

Now 21, the talented young centre-back made 28 English top-flight appearances in his debut campaign before suffering a horrific leg break during pre-season last summer, ruling the Frenchman out for six months.

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Having made a successful comeback against the Red Devils in February and ending the campaign by making three consecutive starts for Brendan Rodgers’ side, Fofana could be at the centre of a gigantic transfer tussle over the coming months.

The latest: PL giants keen

As per RMC Sport, translated by SW, Manchester United and Chelsea are both ‘closely interested’ in the France Under 21 starlet.

It’s claimed that Leicester are ‘counting’ on the three-cap ace but could be persuaded into sanctioning a sale should offers of ‘at least €80million (£68million)’ be forthcoming.

Under contract at the King Power Stadium until 2027 (Transfermarkt), the Old Trafford hierarchy would likely have to meet the demands in order to land the defender once hailed for a ‘phenomenal’ display in which he dominated Bukayo Saka and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The verdict: Second time lucky?

No strangers to paying big money for a centre-back from Leicester City, spending the mooted lofty asking price for Fofana would be a smart piece of business from Manchester United as Erik ten Hag attempts to fix what was a leaky backline at times during 2021/22.

Still not the finished article given his tender years, the talented Frenchman ended the recent season earning an impressive 6.97 Sofascore rating from just seven league outings, making 3.7 clearances, winning 6.0 duels and completing 67.0 accurate passes on average per game – highlighting both his defensive and ball-playing acumen.

Sharing similar stylistic traits with star compatriots Ibrahima Konate, Presnel Kimpembe and United’s own Raphael Varane (Fbref), Fofana certainly possesses all the attributes to become an elite defender and would be a welcome addition to the ranks this summer.

In other news: Man Utd now eyeing ‘world class’ Serie A gem, read more here