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Liverpool have been dealt a blow after it was confirmed that Jordan Henderson is ‘ruled out’ of the Champions League game vs Real Madrid on Wednesday, according to journalist James Pearce.

The Lowdown: UCL preparations

The Reds suffered a heavy 5-2 Anfield defeat to Carlo Ancelotti’s outfit back in February and are now set to complete the Bernabeu second leg tonight.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference, Jurgen Klopp offered his thoughts on the task ahead. He said:

“What I said 3 weeks ago after the game was Madrid were through, now we know there’s a game to play. If there’s only 1% chance, we give it a try. We play a strong opponent and try to win it. That is possible. For that we’re here. We’ll see where it leads to.”

“We are here to win the game and that is difficult enough here, one of the best teams in the world. We will give it a proper try. It’s not about sitting here saying ‘scoring three goals is no problem’. Of course it is.”

The boss held his last training session at Kirkby on Tuesday morning before him and the rest of the team flew out to Spain later in the afternoon, but it appears that they were without their captain.

The Latest: Henderson update

Taking to Twitter, Pearce revealed that Henderson was unable to join his fellow teammates on the plane as a result of being under the weather. He wrote:

“Captain Jordan Henderson ruled out of #LFC’s 2nd leg showdown v Real Madrid. Hasn’t travelled to Spain due to illness.”

The Verdict: Blow for Klopp

Henderson is a real leader both on and off the pitch for Liverpool so it’ll be a huge blow for Klopp to be without his skipper’s services for the fixture vs Real Madrid.

The England international has had an impressive Champions League campaign in 2023, averaging 1.8 tackles and 1.5 key passes per game with one assist to his name in four appearances (WhoScored).

The Merseyside star also ranks in the 97th percentile for passes attempted and the 96th for progressive passes, highlighting his desire to contribute to his side’s efforts in the final third (FBRef).

Finally, Henderson has been dubbed a ‘hero’ by journalist Josh Bunting and the Reds will be hoping that they are successfully able to secure a positive result without him in the middle of the park.

Manchester United are reportedly one of several top Premier League clubs interested in signing Southampton youngster Romeo Lavia this summer.

The Lowdown: Lavia a wanted man

Saints haven’t had a huge amount to shout about this season, as they battle relegation, but the performances of Lavia have certainly been a positive.

The defensive midfielder has made 16 appearances in the league, starting 14 games, and has averaged two tackles per game in that time, adding bite and tenacity in the middle of the park.

The 19-year-old appears to be a wanted man, having been linked with a move away from Southampton this summer, and now a fresh update has emerged.

The Latest: In-demand

According to Football Insider, United are interested in snapping up Lavia at the end of the season, but they are not alone in expressing an interest.

Arsenal and Chelsea are also eyeing a move for the promising teenager and the report states that he will be in ‘huge demand’ in the coming months.

The Verdict: One for the future

At 19, Lavia remains very much a work in progress despite starting regularly in the Premier League, so he would be seen as a long-term acquisition at United.

Erik ten Hag needs to plan for life without Casemiro eventually, considering the Brazilian is now 31, and the Saints man could be considered his long-term replacement.

Paul Scholes has hailed Lavia for having every ‘pass in his locker’, which is high praise indeed from a legend of his stature, and the one-cap Belgium Under-21 international should only get better as the years pass.

To already be a key player for a top-flight before even turning 20 speaks volumes about the £38,000-a-week Saints man – the fact that he was at Manchester City until last year also highlights his quality as a youth team star.

Journalist Beren Cross has claimed that Leeds United manager Javi Gracia has an issue with Wilfried Gnonto after the Italian was subbed off in the most recent game

What’s the latest Willy Gnonto and Leeds?

In the Premier League this weekend, the Whites managed to pick up a vital win against relegation rivals Wolves in their fight to avoid the drop this season.

Indeed, in a thrilling match, goals from Jack Harrison, Luke Ayling, Rasmus Kristensen and Rodrigo gave Gracia and co a 4-2 win while two opposition players were also sent off.

At 61 minutes, Leeds were 2-0 up and Gnonto was impressing having already delivered a fine assist to help set up the opener. Even so, the winger was hooked by his manager with plenty of time left on the clock.

While speaking about it on a LeedsLive video stream, Cross suggested that the treatment is a little "strange" before claiming that Gracia doesn't seem to "quite fancy" the 19-year-old.

He said (18:51): “There's clearly something in Gnonto that he just doesn't quite fancy. I don't know what it is because for me, again that first goal is just typical Gnonto, that's what he brings to the team with the assist that he gave to Harrison.

“So it was strange but there's clearly something there in Gnonto that Gracia just doesn't quite fully like.”

Does Gracia have an issue with Gnonto at Leeds?

Under former manager Jesse Marsch, the youngster had managed to establish himself as a regular starter but under Gracia things have changed.

Indeed, the Italian had to settle for a role off the bench as a substitute in the last two Premier League games and was only trusted for about an hour in this most recent win.

Gnonto has done enough to earn himself a spot in his national team's squad for the upcoming international break – so he must be doing something right – but Gracia does seem hesitant to rely on him too much.

At such a young age, the 19-year-old still has plenty to learn and so perhaps his new manager is just trying to develop him carefully but it is odd that one of the club's best attacking players has suddenly been somewhat marginalised.

West Ham United are showing an interest in former Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri as a potential replacement for David Moyes, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Moyes under pressure…

Recent reports have suggested that the Irons boss has been under mounting pressure this season, following a string of poor Premier League results.

West Ham, after qualifying for back-to-back European campaigns, have failed to build upon their unexpected success of the previous two seasons – even despite a series of summer investments.

The east Londoners put pen to paper on deals for Alphonse Areola, Nayef Aguerd, Flynn Downes, Gianluca Scamacca, Maxwel Cornet, Thilo Kehrer, Emerson Palmieri and club record signing Lucas Paqueta last year.

Danny Ings also joined the club from Aston Villa in January, yet West Ham’s recent spending has been blighted by both injury issues on the field and general underperforming.

The likes of Rafael Benitez and Marcelo Bielsa have been mentioned as candidates to succeed Moyes in recent months but West Ham have yet to take affirmative action over their manager.

The Latest: West Ham interested in Sarri…

Moyes’ side could well go down at the end of the season if they’re not careful, but despite that, it is now believed they’re showing interest in a title-winning boss.

According to reports out of Italy, by newspaper Il Messagero, West Ham are one of three English clubs currently eyeing Sarri of Lazio – alongside Tottenham and Everton.

The 64-year-old’s relationship with sporting director Igli Tare is believed to be fragile as Sarri seeks reassurances on transfer strategy heading into the summer.

It’s added that Sarri has also just rejected a big-money offer from an unnamed club in the United Arab Emirates.

The Verdict: Surprise choice?

Much could depend on if West Ham are relegated from the top flight as it’s highly unlikely Sarri would be interested in that scenario.

However, if they do in fact remain in the big time, we believe the ex-Juventus coach could be a fairly solid candidate.

Sarri, despite being sacked by Chelsea, did manage to clinch a Europa League title with the Blues during his stint in 2019 and went on to win a Scudetto with Juventus.

The former Napoli boss deploys an attacking 4-3-3 formation, a far cry from Moyes’ more pragmatic style, with his ex-player Jorginho also calling Sarri a ‘magnificent coach’ and ‘extraordinary’ on a tactical level.

Of course, this is all hypothetical, and West Ham’s current priorities must be to remain in the Premier League.

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ will be hoping to return to the sort of form they showed in the first few weeks following the appointment of Julen Lopetegui when the Premier League season resumes this weekend.

The Old Gold have won just one of their previous six league matches and with the relegation battle proving to be extremely tight (the bottom nine are separated by just four points) it’s clear that they have to improve swiftly to avoid falling back into the bottom three.

The match against Nottingham Forest this weekend could be a crunch tie and Lopetegui will be looking at how his players have fared on international duty while working out his best possible starting XI ahead of the match.

One player who has impressed and could well be in contention for a start is winger Pedro Neto, who has only recently returned to the Wolves side following an injury which saw him miss the World Cup.

Will Pedro Neto start for Wolves against Forest?

The 23-year-old made his return from injury against Tottenham Hotspur at the start of the month, playing 45 minutes, while he played another 45 minutes in the two subsequent matches, and he is slowly getting back to full fitness.

Indeed, the player was called up to the Portugal U21 side for their international friendlies against Romania and Norway and was in wonderful form against the former just a few days ago.

He started the match and scored a wonderful goal by using his pace to charge down the left wing before cutting inside and unleashing a shot with his right foot that nestled into the bottom corner. He also assisted the first goal with the coach then substituting him at halftime in order to keep him fresh for the tie against Norway.

The “huge talent” – as dubbed by Alan Shearer – will be hoping that his recent performances have shown Lopetegui he deserves a place in the starting XI.

If the winger can replicate his form he displayed during his first season at Wolves, where he scored five goals and registered five assists, then the Molineux side may well be able to preserve their league status for the fifth straight season, thus giving the new manager a foundation to build upon.

The £50k-per-week gem is returning to form at precisely the right time for Wolves and this could be vital heading into the final few weeks of what has been an underwhelming campaign.

Manchester City have made an “official” transfer offer for Altay teenager Efe Sarikaya, according to the Turkish club’s technical director Tuna Uzumcu.

What’s the latest on Man City and Sarikaya?

City have had their eye on Sarikaya in recent months, with reports stating that they scouted the youngster prior to the New Year. Labelled a wonderkid by Turkish Football, Sarikaya is 17 years of age and is primarily a centre-back but is also capable of turning out as a left-back if needed.

The Turkey U19 international is currently valued at €425,000 by Transfermarkt and is out of contract with Altay next summer. Sarikaya already has first-team experience with his current employers, making 24 senior appearances for Altay, the majority of which have come during the current campaign, and it looks as if he has caught the eye across Europe.

Sport Witness relayed comments from Uzumcu in the last 48 hours, with the Altay director confirming that they have received “official transfer offers” from City along with La Liga sides Atletico Madrid and Sevilla.

Uzumcu added that the teenager is “open to development”, however, none of the tabled bids have been accepted as of yet.

“Efe Sarikaya is 17 years old and a football player who is open to development. Efe went to England last week and played in the youth national teams.

“Official transfer offers from Manchester City, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla clubs came for Efe Sarikaya. However, our player is open to development and we have not accepted the offers at this stage.”

Could Sarikaya be a future Man City player?

Director of football Txiki Begiristain is working on a move to bring Sarikaya to the Etihad, and manager Pep Guardiola has shown previously that he isn’t afraid to give teenagers a chance in the first team.

Rico Lewis is a prime recent example, with the full-back scoring on his first senior start against Sevilla in the Champions League back in November. He has been in and around Guardiola’ squad all season, turning 18 last year, so Sarikaya could look to follow in his footsteps at the Etihad.

City will first need to have an offer accepted by Altay and pip Atletico Madrid and Sevilla to his services, but in the long run, it could prove to be a smart piece of business as he already appears to be impressing on the first team stage to catch City’s attention.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to make an official proposal for Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte in the summer transfer window, according to a recent report.

Will Tottenham sign Manuel Ugarte this summer?

Tottenham have been targeting Ugarte for quite some time, with it being reported they made contact with Sporting about signing the midfielder back in September, although Leicester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid were also named as potential suitors.

Interest in the 21-year-old is growing, as Aston Villa have recently joined the race for his signature, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke, while Newcastle United, Leeds United and Wolverhampton Wanderers are also eyeing the youngster.

As such, it may be difficult to win the race for the Uruguayan in the summer, particularly if Newcastle pip Spurs to fourth place, however he still remains a target, according to a recent report from Record. (via Sport Witness)

Spurs are reportedly set to make an official proposal for the defensive midfielder, having promised to submit a bid in the summer transfer window, and Sporting are now believed to be considering a sale.

The Portuguese side need to raise funds before bringing in new signings of their own, and the starlet has a release clause of €60m, (£53m), making him one of their most prized assets.

Having previously dealt with Tottenham in negotiations for Pedro Porro, which dragged out across the whole January window, Sporting would want to avoid a similar situation in the summer.

Would Manuel Ugarte be a good signing for Tottenham?

The Uruguayan is excelling in the Portuguese league, particularly in a defensive sense, ranking in the 99th percentile for tackles completed per 90 in the past year, while he is also in the 99th percentile for his pass-completion rate.

Hailed as an "animal" by members of the media, the maestro was remarkable for Sporting in their Europa League triumph against Arsenal last month, winning a total of 13 ground duels, seven more than any of his teammates, also completing four successful dribbles.

A performance of that standard against the Premier League leaders highlights that the eight-time Uruguay international is more than ready to make the step up to the English top flight, and Spurs should undoubtedly make an offer this summer.

Given his age, Ugarte could run the Tottenham midfield for a decade to come, and while he is already putting in some top-level performances, he is only going to improve.

Southampton defender Tino Livramento staging his return from injury will be a “silver lining” for Ruben Selles, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest injury news on Livramento?

Livramento first arrived on the south coast back in August 2021 when he joined from Premier League rivals Chelsea, but he’s made just 32 appearances during that time as a result of being on the sidelines through injury.

In 2021/22, he missed 28 days of action with knee problems followed by his cruciate ligament rupture, which has kept him absent for almost a year to date, as per Transfermarkt. At the end of March, however, Selles confirmed during a press conference that the 20-year-old was making great progress and that he expects him to “join the team soon”.

The Athletic reports that the Blues negotiated a £38m buy-back clause as part of his Southampton deal, and it was claimed late last year that they were thinking about bringing him back, with journalist Pete O’Rourke stating that it’s a “never say never” situation, but his focus right now will surely be simply returning to the field and building up his match fitness and game time.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones couldn’t speak highly enough of Livramento and insisted that Southampton would be receiving great news when it’s confirmed that he is ready to pull his Saints shirt back on and stake his claim for a place in the first team. He said:

"I think it's definitely a silver lining to have Livramento coming back into the side now; he's a player that they will have missed for sure. We all know the qualities that he's got and what he's capable of."

Will Livramento's return be a positive for Southampton?

Livramento will certainly take a lot of time to gradually return to his old self after such a serious long-term injury, but having been dubbed a “threat” by pundit Noel Whelan, Southampton could be getting a massive boost when he does stage his comeback.

The Saints right-back was averaging 1.9 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per top-flight game prior to his absence, via WhoScored, scoring one goal and notching two assists in his debut season (Transfermarkt). The £8k-p/w talent appears extremely reliable on the ball, having completed 507 of his 587 short passes, giving him a success rate of 86.4%.

Finally, Livramento can easily adapt to different formations where outside of his natural position, and we think this versatility makes him a wonderful option for the boss to have available at his disposal.

League leaders Arsenal may have endured a slight wobble in recent games, although that should not detract from what has been a stellar season so far under manager Mikel Arteta.

After having missed out on Champions League qualification at the tail end of last season, the Spaniard has since transformed his youthful outfit into genuine title contenders, with the club's impressive recruitment having been vital in that recent resurgence.

The £32m arrival of Oleksandr Zinchenko, in particular, has helped to spur on the north London outfit this season, with the Ukrainian gem having gone from something of a peripheral figure at former club Manchester City to now being a leading figure at the Emirates.

The versatile left-back's impact has been recognised by his manager who hailed him a "perfectionist", with few having been able to anticipate just how vital the 26-year-old would become in his new home.

The former City ace is not alone in having potentially proved any doubters wrong during his time in the capital, with teammate Aaron Ramsdale having also quashed early scepticism after signing from Sheffield United back in the summer of 2021.

How good has Ramsdale been for Arsenal?

As club legend Ian Wright noted last season, the England international had been somewhat "ridiculed" following his arrival in a £30m deal, with fans and pundits alike having questioned the wisdom in bringing in a player who had suffered back-to-back relegations with the Blades and for Bournemouth.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has also recently admitted that he had been "scratching his head" at the time of the goalkeeper's switch to north London, although has "never been more wrong" such has been the 24-year-old's impact to date.

The £60k-per-week rock's fine form has also been praised by journalist Pete O'Rourke, with the respected insider telling Football FanCast that the stopper could well be among the best signings of Arteta's tenure thus far.

Asked where Ramsdale would rank among the best additions of the decade, O'Rourke stated: "Yeah, I think he's got to be up there. Came under the radar and obviously came in for a bit of criticism when he first arrived at the club.

"Arsenal did spend big money on him when they signed him from Sheffield United, who had just been relegated, so it was a lot of question marks about paying the big money for him. And obviously, he came in as the number two goalkeeper originally with Bernd Leno still number one, but he's worked really hard. He got that number one shirt midway through last season as well and he's held on to it."

The 6 foot 2 ace has been in particularly impressive form so far this season after keeping 12 clean sheets from his 31 Premier League outings, having been rather heroic in the recent draw away to Liverpool.

The one-time Cherries gem notably denied Mohamed Salah with a stunning, sprawling save late on in that thriller at Anfield, before remarkably keeping out Ibrahima Konate at point-blank range when the Frenchman appeared nailed on to score.

That "exceptional" performance against the Reds – as per Arteta – has only served to rubberstamp just how impressive Ramsdale has been for the Gunners thus far, with the point he neared his side potentially pivotal in the title reace.

Indeed, the Stoke-born titan has left a lot of those initial naysayers looking rather silly.

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in signing Arsenal's Emile Smith-Rowe this summer and the England international could prove to be the next Jack Grealish under Unai Emery.

Could Aston Villa sign Smith-Rowe?

According to journalist Chris Wheatley, the 22-year-old is frustrated with his lack of first-team opportunities so far this term and could seek an exit from the Emirates this summer, with Villa said to be an interested party.

Smith-Rowe worked under Emery during his time at Arsenal and was one of their standout performers in the Premier League last season, notching ten goals and two assists, but injury issues and the Gunners' title charge have meant that he has featured just ten times from the bench in the top flight this campaign.

Speaking on the Chris Wheatley show, the journalist said:

"Unai Emery’s a big admirer of Emile Smith Rowe. Don’t forget, he was the manager who gave him his opportunity in the Arsenal first-team when he took over as head coach.

“I know he’s disappointed with his lack of first-team opportunities. Whether or not he looks for a move away from the club is another story altogether. He’s a quality player, he offers a lot.

“So yes, Smith Rowe is wanted by Aston Villa. I think it’s a move that he would certainly consider because it’s a chance to rejuvenate his career.

“I think Villa might be a really good opportunity for him with a really, really good coach in Unai Emery, who he knows well. So let’s wait and see on that one. But it’s definitely one to watch this summer.”

Could Smith-Rowe be Villa's next Grealish?

Villa were linked with signing the tricky winger as the replacement for Grealish when he left for Manchester City in 2021 but now that he has had more time to develop with the Gunners, he could be a superb addition by Emery this summer.

The Arsenal academy graduate is arguably behind both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard in the pecking order on the left wing, and with more reinforcements likely to arrive this summer ahead of their return to the Champions League, Smith-Rowe could soon be surplus to requirements at the Emirates.

The 22-year-old's dribbling style, which often sees him just glide past opponents, is certainly similar to what Grealish produced at Villa Park on a regular basis before his money-spinning move to Manchester City. They even have the same look, with the Arsenal star sporting short socks that show off his shin pads.

WhoScored also suggests that both Smith-Rowe and Grealish excel at holding onto the ball, while they both like to play short passes, so they are both clearly wingers who perform best when in a possession-based side.

With Villa looking likely to be playing European football next season, Emery needs players who are capable of turning a match on its head and the Arsenal youngster is certainly capable, with journalist Mark Mann-Bryans dubbing him a "game-changer" on Twitter.

If the £40k-per-week winger can be convinced to swap Arsenal for Villa this summer, then there seems no reason why he couldn't emulate Grealish in the future, given his pedigree and obvious potential.