Everton
Man Utd Explore James Garner Return as Midfield Options Remain Unsettled
Man Utd weigh re-signing James Garner from Everton Mainoo faces more midfield competition in January
Manchester United are reported to be considering a January approach to re-sign James Garner from Everton as part of a wider midfield reshuffle. The Daily Mail has suggested United could pursue Garner as an affordable option amid links to higher-cost targets such as Carlos Baleba and Elliot Anderson.
Garner, 24, progressed through United’s academy and impressed on loan at Watford and Nottingham Forest before Everton signed him in the summer of 2022 in a deal worth around £15 million. He has since made 103 appearances for Everton and is entering the final six months of his contract. The Toffees hold a one-year extension clause but are said to prefer agreeing a long-term deal to end speculation. Talks between Everton and Garner are already under way, and United are believed to be open to acting in January.
A potential midseason arrival would increase competition in midfield and could complicate Kobbie Mainoo’s search for regular minutes. Mainoo had a loan request rejected last summer and is expected to seek a move in January, although that could be affected by Fernandes’s recent injury.
Ruben Amorim has publicly called for a new midfielder to be signed and has also defended his use of Mainoo, rejecting suggestions he has lost faith in the 20-year-old. “He is going to be the future of Manchester United,” Amorim vowed. “That is my feeling. So you [Mainoo] just need to wait for each chance and everything can change in football in two days. He will have the opportunity that he has all the time to force his way in.
“The position of Casemiro [No. 6], he can do it. He can play if we play with three in midfield. He can play like we play in the position of Mason Mount [No. 10].”
United have already made one midfield move ahead of the January window by recalling 21-year-old Toby Collyer from his loan at West Bromwich Albion, according to The Athletic. Collyer has returned to United for treatment on a calf injury expected to keep him sidelined for around eight weeks and will not go back to West Brom. He made 12 appearances for the Baggies, including three starts, and registered 13 appearances under Amorim last season. Once Collyer recovers, United will decide whether to keep him at Old Trafford or send him on loan, with several Championship sides reported to be interested.
Chelsea
Foreign Stalwarts: Non-English Players Who Became Premier League Mainstays
Non-English players became Premier League mainstays through longevity consistency and contributions.
Since 1992 the Premier League has been defined by English talent and by players from abroad and neighboring nations who provided steadiness season after season. Some of the competition’s most trusted appearance makers are not English, with many racking up matches after arriving from overseas or from Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Schwarzer arrived as a dependable presence and proved something of a lucky charm in the top flight. The former Bradford City man played his part in Boro and the Cottagers reaching UEFA Cup/Europa League finals, and he even ‘won’ the Premier League twice—with Chelsea and Leicester—despite not making a single league appearance in either title-winning campaign.
Sylvain Distin was a Premier League stalwart for years, retiring in 2016 at the age of 38. His first venture in England was a season-long loan with Newcastle United that led to a permanent move to Manchester City. He went on to captain the future Premier League champions prior to their big-money investment, then enjoyed a two-year spell at Portsmouth that yielded FA Cup success. Everton benefited from Distin’s prime extending into his 30s and he made almost as many appearances for the Toffees as he did for City—174 in six seasons.
Ryan Giggs’s record of 13 Premier League title wins with Manchester United will probably never be bettered. The Welshman was already an established United player when the Premier League kicked off in 1992–93, and he was a key figure for Sir Alex Ferguson as the club rose to the top of the country. Later in his career Giggs converted into a central midfielder and produced some of his best football. Winning the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award in the 2008–09 season at age 35 was followed by another two Premier League titles prior to his retirement in 2014.
Forget Arjen Robben, Damien Duff was the real star winger in José Mourinho’s early Chelsea sides, yet he’s often underrated and not given the credit he deserves. A pacy, consistent performer, Duff rose to prominence at Blackburn Rovers as a natural left winger, terrifying right backs with his running and superb delivery. Goals followed and Chelsea came calling after the Roman Abramovich-led takeover in 2003. Duff was instrumental in Chelsea winning the Premier League two seasons in a row before being phased out. Newcastle United were the next stop in his 18-year top-flight career, followed by Fulham and then a move Down Under.
Arsenal
Panel Rules Everton Were Denied Penalty in Arsenal 1–0 Win After VAR Oversight
Key Match Incidents Panel ruled Everton were wrongly denied a penalty in Arsenal’s 1–0 win. at Hill.
The Premier League’s Key Match Incidents Panel has concluded Everton were wrongfully denied a penalty in their 1–0 defeat to Arsenal. The ruling follows an incident the on-pitch official Sam Barrott and VAR Michael Salisbury missed during the match, a decision that angered the home crowd and Everton manager David Moyes.
Immediately after the game the Premier League Match Centre described the contact as “insufficient” to warrant a spot kick. Less than two weeks later the panel voted 3–2 that Barrott’s choice not to award a penalty was incorrect. The panel also voted 3–2 that VAR Salisbury should have instructed the on-pitch official to review the incident at the monitor.
Those who supported a penalty noted “Saliba carelessly kicks Barry with no contact on the ball”. Those who opposed the award argued “there was not enough impact and a delayed reaction.” The split vote underlines the fine margins at the centre of the decision.
Had Barrott pointed to the spot and Everton converted from 12 yards out, Mikel Arteta’s side would be level with Manchester City atop the table. Instead Arsenal, who were rightfully awarded a first-half penalty that Viktor Gyökeres buried, left with a 1–0 victory and the full three points.
The win allowed the league leaders to top the table at Christmas Day. The club had reached the summit on that holiday on four previous occasions and failed to convert those positions into a Premier League title in each instance.
By New Year’s Eve Arsenal were five points clear of the Cityzens, who held a game in hand. Should Manchester City defeat Sunderland on the first day of the new year the gap would fall to two points.
As the title race develops the panel’s finding on the Everton incident will remain a talking point. The match-day decision at Hill Dickinson Stadium and the panel’s 3–2 verdict may be significant if Arsenal’s margin over Manchester City stays as slender as it is now.
Arsenal
FPL Gameweek 18: Goalkeepers, Bargains and Must-Haves for the Deadline
FPL GW18 picks and deadline details: goalkeeper sleeper plays, budget forwards and premium options..
The Boxing Day sequence leaves Fantasy Premier League managers choosing carefully ahead of Gameweek 18. Several goalkeeper and outfield options stand out given the fixtures and recent form.
Alisson Becker (£5.4m) remains a contender despite Liverpool not keeping many clean sheets this season; Wolverhampton Wanderers have scored only nine times in 19 games. Caoimhín Kelleher (£4.5m) is an alternative after Bournemouth were held by Everton and Chelsea earlier this month, and Burnley conceded just once in their most recent match. Bernd Leno (£4.9m) is an attractive differential for Fulham at home against West Ham United.
Joško Gvardiol (£6.0m) is recommended as Manchester City aim to extend a run of successive clean sheets against Nottingham Forest, and his attacking output offers additional upside. James Tarkowski (£5.5m) could provide value for Everton against Burnley, who are among the lowest scorers in the division. Piero Hincapié (£5.5m) has been collecting points in Gabriel’s absence and should feature this week.
On the attacking side, Morgan Rogers (£7.2m) is under-selected by FPL managers and could offer an edge given his role in a high-performing team. Mason Mount (£5.9m) is a budget midfield option to consider while Bruno Fernandes will miss out on Boxing Day through injury, placing creative responsibility elsewhere. Anthony Gordon (£7.3m) arrives off recent double-figure hauls for Newcastle United and poses a direct threat to Manchester United.
Erling Haaland (£15.1m) remains the premium forward for many squads, having scored almost half of his team’s goals and ranking behind only Phil Foden for current form; 74.1% of FPL players own him. Hugo Ekitiké (£8.9m) has been scoring regularly and benefits from Alexander Isak being out injured. Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.8m) is the budget forward option after 22 points across the last two gameweeks and a favourable match-up with Sunderland.
The GW18 deadline for FPL is at 6:30 p.m. GMT (1:30 p.m. ET, 1.:30 a.m. PT) on Friday, Dec. 26.
