Arsenal have enjoyed a stellar campaign so far, in the Premier League anyway. The Gunners have lost just three league matches all season and are currently eight points clear at the summit, albeit with a game in hand over the chasing pack.

All looks rosy at the Emirates under Mikel Arteta, who has had to battle his way to get to this point, but the patience shown by the Arsenal board seems to be paying off. He has developed a wonderful group of players and there have been some fine performances this term.

None more so than Ben White, who has excelled at right-back, notably registering an assist in ther recent win over Crystal Palace.

His form has been even more impressive considering centre-back is his natural position, while Takehiro Tomiyasu has been drafted in as cover when required, although not always impressing.

The Japanese right-back has been on the periphery this term, with White obtaining the starting slot on the right side of the defence. Tomiyasu has played 21 league matches in total, averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.68/10, ranking him as the third worst player in the squad judging by overall rating.

Arteta is always looking ahead to the future and there could be a teenage starlet ready to replace Tomiyasu sooner rather than later – Reuell Walters.

The 18-year-old featured in the club's pre-season tour before the campaign got underway and with mounting injuries, was included in the matchday squad when Palace visited the Emirates on Sunday afternoon.

The full-back is clearly well thought of in north London but he could well face competition from Michal Rosiak, another budding Hale End talent.

Who is Michal Rosiak?

The 17-year-old right-back has been with Arsenal since 2016 and signed a scholarship last summer as he begins to make name for himself in the U18 side.

Indeed, this season he has played seven matches in the U18 Premier League, scoring twice and registering five assists, showing his attack-minded nature, something that could be a big bonus for the Spaniard, who loves his full-backs to be able to attack with menace.

He also has three goals in just four FA Youth Cup appearances, meaning he has ten goal contributions in just 12 matches so far in 2022/2023, a quite remarkable number for someone so young.

Reporter Theo Mwangi even praised the Polish starlet last month, saying: “Michal Rosiak is a very good player when inverting and going forward, needs to work on his defensive attributes though.”

That 'inverting' nature is vital to any full-back in Arteta's system with White and Oleksandr Zinchenko having become masters of that role throughout 2022/23.

Indeed, there will be plenty of time to work on that and the defensive side of his game in the coming months for Rosiak, especially with players such as White to look up to and learn from.

Tomiyasu hasn’t made the impression many thought he would have following his arrival in 2021 and with Rosiak developing well in the Hale End academy, he will have to be on his toes.

Arsenal fans have been bemoaning the news that Takehiro Tomiyasu left the Emirates Stadium on crutches after getting injured on Thursday night.

The Lowdown: Tomiyasu injured

Tomiyasu was forced off injured in just the ninth minute of their 1-1 draw at home to Sporting in the UEFA Europa League second leg, as he was replaced by Ben White at right-back.

William Saliba was then forced off injured just 12 minutes later in what was an unlucky night for the Gunners injury-wise as well as the scoreline, as they crashed out of the competition on penalties.

Speaking to the media after the game, Mikel Arteta admitted that Tomiyasu’s injury looked ‘pretty serious’ in a worrying assessment:

“Tomi looks pretty serious from what he said to me. Willy I don’t know, he had some discomfort.”

Arsenal reporter for The Evening Standard Simon Collings has since shared an image on social media of Tomiyasu leaving the Emirates on crutches, which does not bode well for the Japan international.

The Latest: Arsenal fans react

Taking to Twitter, Gunners supporters were left fearing the worst for Tomiyasu after seeing him leave on crutches.

They said:

“This really isn’t good. All the best, Tomi!” – @akarsenalnews

“Sell him Diaby 2.0” – @ed1_94

“This brother is made out of glass, speedy recovery” – @muideentemitop

“This hurts me more than getting knocked out of the EL” – @ElDanMan86

“Oh no” – @ifeyeee

“Feels worse then the loss tbh” – @ArseBrosRyan

“He’s on crutches. Season over” – @theodox_dip

“Could be just a precaution but man that doesn’t look good” – @Bibz_14

“Goodness me” – @Tobi2332_

“This might just hurt us” – @sihle_nzima

The Verdict: Frustrating

Tomiyasu’s injury capped off a frustrating night for the North Londoners, as they crashed out of the Europa League via a penalty shootout.

The 24-year-old has had rotten luck with injuries in the past, notably a calf problem keeping him out for a large chunk of last season.

With Ben White very much establishing himself as the left-back for Arsenal as well this season.

Nonetheless, Gunners supporters will be waiting nervously to see the extent of his latest setback, and will be hoping that it is not too serious and that Tomiyasu can have a speedy recovery, with full attention now on Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

Having barely enjoyed the FA Cup trophy at the end of the 17/18 campaign, established and esteemed Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois shocked the Stamford Bridge faithful by forcing a move through to Spanish giants Real Madrid, leaving an alarming chasm between the sticks.

Irrevocably severing his tether to Chelsea and the endearment of the fanbase, signing for Los Blancos for £35m after seven years on the Blues’ books, the Belgian ace’s acrimonious departure warranted a first-rate replacement, and the club’s hierarchy swiftly scoured the market for the optimum acquisition.

Before the commencement of the 18/19 Premier League campaign, the west London outfit would announce the world-record goalkeeper signing of Kepa Arrizabalaga, who joined from La Liga outfit Athletic Bilbao for £72m.

It all could have been so different; Sky in Italy reported that Liverpool had been pursuing a deal for Roma goalkeeper Alisson, but had been priced out of a move, paving the way for the affluent Chelsea to swoop in and secure the Brazilian titan for a reported £62m.

Liverpool would return, to the surprise of observers, and complete the £67m signing of Alisson, spelling an end to Chelsea’s interest, breaking the world-record fee for a shot-stopper before the Blues would indeed break it for the Spanish Kepa just one month later.

Did Chelsea blunder on Alisson?

It’s fair to say that the respective colossus’ have had contrasting fortunes since their arrivals in England, with Alisson cementing his stature as one of Europe’s finest of his position, while Kepa has endured a tumultuous journey; not without its success, but not without its considerable hardships.

The polarity in fortunes for the gems is perhaps best encapsulated by CIES Football Observatory’s respective current values: Alisson still boasts a value of £71m that holds with the fee Liverpool paid, but the 11-cap Spaniard now yields a price to his name of just £13m, which is startling in its entirety.

Had the Blues completed the signing of Alisson, who cost less than Kepa, they could have instated an unwavering and iron-clad figure to dominate from the defensive third, providing steely resistance and instilling leadership across the pitch.

Having made 216 appearances, keeping an impressive 98 clean sheets, the 30-year-old South American has been instrumental in the craft of Liverpool’s current outfit, and despite the current seasonal woes, has basked in the glory of clinching the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, and Club World Cup during his stay, now nearly five years on Merseyside.

The 61-cap star has also won the 18/19 Copa America with Brazil during this period, and his elite, winning mentality, would have paid dividends for the Stamford Bridge-based side.

Lauded as a “monster” by journalist Matt Kim, Alisson has proved time and time again that he is a world-class star, evidenced by his stellar performances despite Liverpool’s loss of potency and fluidity this season.

And had Alisson, dubbed “the best in the world” by Reds team-mate Andy Robertson, donned Chelsea blue in 2018, the footballing script that has dictated the past several years could very well have been rewritten.

Instead of the underperforming and devalued Kepa, the Blues could have had one of the ‘best’ shot-stoppers on the globe, which is why they fumbled badly with the Brazilian in 2018.

Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Inter defender Denzel Dumfries this summer and the Dutchman could be a Reece James clone at Stamford Bridge.

Could Chelsea sign Denzel Dumfries?

Fabrizio Romano confirmed earlier this week that the Netherlands international had joined the Wasserman agency in an attempt to force through a summer transfer, with a move to the Premier League his preference.

Romano mentions the interest that was shown by Manchester United and Chelsea in recent months but suggests that the race is very much open for the 26-year-old this summer.

Inter have previously slapped a €60m (£53m) price tag on the versatile defender's head but given the investment we have seen at Stamford Bridge since the arrival of Todd Boehly, this would be a mere drop in the ocean for the Blues if they decided to reignite their interest in Dumfries this summer.

While Malo Gusto was signed from Lyon in the January transfer window as a long-term competitor for James at Stamford Bridge, their respective injury concerns this season suggest that Graham Potter could still be in the market for a more reliable option in his defence.

James has mustered just 12 Premier League appearances due to a number of injury problems, while Gusto was ruled out after picking up a hamstring injury back on loan in Ligue 1, with his last appearance coming in early February. The former has only managed two goal contributions too.

Therefore, it is easy to see why Boehly might target a player such as Dumfries, who has been a constant force in Inter's back line so far this campaign, notching one goal and six assists in 24 Serie A appearances.

The former PSV Eindhoven man, like James, has cultivated a reputation as an attacking wing-back, registering five goals and four assists in Italy's top-flight last season.

NBC Sports Editor Joe-Prince Wright perhaps put it best when describing the Dutchman's impressive athletic ability during Euro 2020.

He said: "Denzel Dumfries has been my favourite player at this tournament. Every time you look up he's seemingly surging forward on the right or left. Incredible."

James has shown regular attacking intent since breaking into the first team at Stamford Bridge, contributing five goals and nine assists in the Premier League in the 2021/22 campaign, and Dumfries could perhaps do a similarly-impressive job if he is trusted to play instead of the injury-prone Englishman.

FBref suggests that the Inter star scores in the top 1% for non-penalty expected goals and progressive passes received when compared with other full-backs across Europe's top leagues, which emphasises his attacking ability and knack of being in the right place at right time.

Therefore, if Boehly does feel the need to sign another right wing-back this summer, Dumfries could be the ideal candidate.

West Ham are reportedly interested in signing Bournemouth defender Jordan Zemura, in a deal which could see David Moyes finally get rid of veteran full-back Aaron Cresswell.

Could West Ham sign Jordan Zemura?

According to 90min, the Hammers are currently leading the race for the 23-year-old left-back, who could leave the Cherries this summer after a contract dispute which saw him dropped by Gary O'Neill for last weekend's 1-0 win over Liverpool.

The Zimbabwe international saw a one-year extension triggered in March 2022 but is yet to agree to a new deal at the Vitality Stadium, meaning he could be free to join the Hammers at the end of the season when his current contract expires.

Could Zemura replace Cresswell at West Ham?

Zemura would enjoy a breakthrough campaign last season as the Cherries earned promotion to the Premier League, contributing an impressive three goals and one assist in 33 appearances, averaging a strong 6.91 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Former manager Scott Parker was full of praise for the left-back after he grabbed a brace in a 3-0 win against Barnsley.

He said: "He’s been excellent since he’s come in and got the shirt. Today was a fine performance from him and I think we all realise that you guys watching, you can see, that he’s an attack-minded full-back, gets us up the pitch and got lovely a forward drive about him.

"Defensively, I think he’s improving and done very well again today. He was part of a back four that kept a clean sheet.

"I was very pleased with him as from the minute I first walked in he’s someone that’s shown me he wants the shirt, shown me he wants to improve, work hard and has earned the right to get his opportunity. Now he’s relishing it."

This season has been more of a struggle for the young defender, however, as he boasts a far-less-impressive 6.46 average rating across his 19 appearances in the top flight, but he has been part of a Bournemouth side who have conceded the most goals in the league.

However, in a more solid Premier League outfit, the youngster could show off his attacking talents and get back to his best, replacing the veteran Cresswell.

Indeed, this summer must surely bring an end to the left-back's nine-year stay with the Hammers.

The 33-year-old has lost his regular starting spot to Emerson and has struggled on his rare appearances in the Premier League, averaging a 6.67 rating from WhoScored, with no goals or assists in the top flight.

June 2023 marks the end of his current contract at the London Stadium and the ageing defender must not be handed a new deal by Moyes.

If Zemura can live up to his potential and replicate his performances from the Championship, then he could prove to be the ideal replacement on a free transfer for the Hammers.

Everton produced a monumental comeback in their Premier League clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last night and Sean Dyche will be thrilled with the resilience his team showed throughout.

The Toffees climbed to 15th in the top-flight table following their point earned in west London and are now two points clear of the relegation zone with ten games to go.

Despite having only 31% possession, fewer shots on target (3 v 7) and far fewer accurate passes completed (165 v 445), Everton put up a fight until the very end.

It wasn’t until the final 45 minutes of the outing that the action started with Joao Felix giving Chelsea the lead in the 52nd minute, which was followed up 17 minutes later by a strike from Abdoulaye Doucoure to level out the score-line once again.

A penalty converted by Kai Havertz put Chelsea back in front with 14 minutes left, however, it was Everton youngster Ellis Simms who stole the show by earning his team a crucial point with a stunning goal in the dying moments of the game.

Indeed, the Goodison Park faithful will be jubilant following the well-fought draw but not every player put in a performance that was worthy of the 2-2 result with Alex Iwobi having offered very little to his team.

How did Alex Iwobi get on vs Chelsea?

There is no doubt that the Everton midfielder has significantly improved over the last 12 months and has often been a stand-out performer despite the club’s struggles to comfortably compete.

Indeed, he leads the assist chart at Goodison this term with six assists, four more than he managed in 2021/22.

However, in the capital last night, Iwobi was a passenger in his team’s fight for a positive result lacking effort and presence on the pitch.

Over his 90-minute performance, the 26-year-old dud – dubbed “useless” last campaign by Peter Guy – certainly lived up to that tag on Saturday with the ball at his feet.

He lost possession a staggering 21 times, completed just ten accurate passes and lost six of his defensive duels.

In fact, only Seamus Coleman earned a lower rating (6.3) on the entire pitch with Iwobi (6.4) a stand-out for all the wrong reasons, as per SofaScore.

Those statistics would appear to back up reviews from various sections of the media with 90min giving him a 6/10, while saying 'his final pass was poor at times.'

Dyche will surely be happy with the performance but there is still a long way to go before their survival in the Premier League is confirmed and Iwobi’s lacklustre effort could’ve put the club in an even more worrying position if his teammates had not shown moments of quality.

With that being said, Everton must not get complacent as they host Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park after the international break, where they will hope the Nigerian is back to his creative best.

Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi is the subject of interest from Tottenham in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh update.

How is Guehi doing this season?

The Eagles may not be having a good season currently, sitting 12th in the Premier League and not winning in the competition since New Year's Day, but Guehi has certainly been one of their better players. The Englishman has started 27 of his side's 28 league matches, averaging 3.7 clearances per game and 1.6 tackles per game.

Guehi's partnership at the back with Joachim Andersen has continued to be solid, despite Palace's struggles at the other end of the pitch, and they remain important figures heading into the future. It may not be easy for the south Londoners to keep hold of him, however, with bigger clubs potentially looking to sign him at the end of the season.

Now, a new update has emerged – one that suggests the 22-year-old could move on but remain in London this summer.

Could Guehi be off to Spurs?

According to Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke, Guehi "is at the top of Tottenham’s list" ahead of the summer window, with managing director Fabio Paratici seeing him as a "hugely exciting prospect" to bring to the club. The report goes on to state that "Palace are wanting between £50-60million for the young defender if they stay in the Premier League, with that fee set to be slashed if they suffer relegation".

Guehi is contracted to Palace until the summer of 2026, putting the Eagles in a strong bargaining position, in terms of wanting a huge transfer fee for his services.

In truth, it is no great surprise to see a club of Spurs' stature wanting to sign Guehi in the summer, with the defender someone with huge potential who has been described as both "massive" and an "absolute tank" by Stoke City goalkeeper Josef Bursik. At 22, he should only become an even more polished and dominant centre-back as the years pass, possibly even becoming a mainstay of England's defence eventually, having won three caps for the Three Lions to date.

The hope is that Palace hold onto Guehi, of course, and their only chance of achieving that goal is if they remain in the Premier League this season, which should act as a huge incentive to stay in the top flight and put an end to this dreadful recent run of form.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in signing Hirving Lozano in the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Hirving Lozano to Newcastle?

According to Italian outlet Il Mattino (via Sport Witness), the Magpies are one of the clubs in the race to sign the Napoli winger at the end of the season.

The Sun reported that Chelsea are eyeing a deal to sign the forward and Il Mattino have added to that story by claiming that Newcastle and Arsenal are also keen on him.

It is stated that the Mexico international would be willing to make the switch to the Premier League if his current team accepted an offer, with Napoli said to be holding out for a fee of around €50m (£44m).

Will Ryan Fraser leave Newcastle this summer?

Eddie Howe recently banished the Scotland international to the academy squad and all but confirmed that the winger will be departing from St. James’ Park later this year.

The head coach said: “Ryan’s training with the Under-21s. I made the decision to concentrate on players that are committed to Newcastle. For the benefit of the group, I’ve made that call.”

When asked if the forward has a future at the club, the boss added: “I think that’s a difficult one for me to answer, because I’d never put a firm decision on that, because life and football can change quickly but, I’d say at the moment, no he doesn’t.”

Lozano, who journalist Derek Clark hailed as “frightening” earlier this season, could come in to allow Newcastle to sanction an exit for Fraser as bringing in another winger would ensure that jettisoning the Scottish dud would not leave them light in that department.

Since the start of last season, the current Magpies attacker has produced two goals and three assists in 35 Premier League appearances for the club. This shows that the dud has rarely contributed with quality at the top end of the pitch, which could have played a part in Howe’s decision to ditch him from the squad.

The Napoli star, who is two years younger than Fraser, has chipped in with eight goals and eight assists in 34 Serie A starts since the start of 2021/22 and this indicates that he would be a sizeable upgrade on the ex-Bournemouth man in terms of his output in the final third.

Over the last 365 days, Lozano has averaged more progressive carries, progressive passes, and take-ons than Fraser per 90 and this shows that the Mexican dynamo could also offer more quality in build-up play as the gem can get the ball up the pitch with his dribbling and passing ability.

Howe and Dan Ashworth must now work together to secure a deal for the Napoli wizard as it would allow them to then ditch the outcasted Scotsman for good in the summer.

Mesut Ozil announced his retirement from professional football yesterday after an illustrious career but Chelsea may already have the ideal heir to the German magician in Omari Hutchinson.

Who is Omari Hutchinson?

Like Ozil, Hutchinson has a history at Arsenal, having joined the Blues from Mikel Arteta's side in the summer transfer window, and he has continued his dazzling form in the academy with the west London outfit.

After hitting eight goals and seven assists in 22 appearances for Arsenal's U21 side last season, the versatile attacker has bettered that with Chelsea's academy so far this campaign, boasting eight goals and ten assists in 22 appearances.

The 19-year-old's impressive form has seen him make two appearances under Graham Potter in the senior side so far this campaign, which suggests that he is certainly on the manager's radar and could be set for a more involved role next season.

Considering the performances of first-team players such as Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic, with just one goal and two assists between them in the top flight, there is certainly scope for Hutchinson to establish himself as a first-teamer in the not-too-distant future, as long as he can live up to his obvious potential at Stamford Bridge.

The Jamaica international is a sleek, left-footed attacker who is just as capable of scoring goals as he is at creating them, which is where the similarities with Ozil begin.

Could Hutchinson be Chelsea's own Ozil?

The former Schalke man would finish his career at Basaksehir FK yesterday after seeing his game time limited with the Turkish side this season, but he will be remembered as one of the most creative midfielders of this generation, with more than 200 assists under his belt across spells with Werder Bremen, Real Madrid and Arsenal.

Hutchinson could easily follow in his footsteps, as he was lauded by journalist Tom Maston on Twitter in 2021 after an incredible goal against Crystal Palace U21s.

He wrote: "Omari Hutchinson (2003) with an outstanding solo goal for Arsenal U23s this evening. Hutchinson, who can play out wide or centrally, is known as something of an assist king at youth level but scored twice vs C.Palace in a 4-2 win for the Gunners."

If Hutchinson can translate his form from academy football into senior football, then it is surely only a matter of time before he starts to produce the goods for Chelsea.

Of course, he would have to go some way to replicate the achievements of a World Cup winner, but the raw tools and ability are certainly there for Hutchinson to start making inroads in the future.

Mumbai captain Aditya Tare wants to build on the team’s success; Naman Ojha thinks he has the personnel to challenge the 41-time Ranji champs

The Preview by Arun Venugopal05-Mar-2016If the nature of the competition in the Irani Cup over the last two editions were to be assessed, it wouldn’t reflect too well on the Rest of India sides. Karnataka swamped them by an innings and 222 runs in 2013-14 and followed it up with a 246-run thrashing last season.It is hard to argue against the logic of Ranji Trophy champions being successful; they are, after all, well-drilled units playing together for a considerable length of time and familiar with the winning habit. The Rest of India team, in contrast, is only an assembly of the best players that season, who have very little time to gel as a unit.However, a larger sample size over a longer period does not conform to such ‘logic’.Consider this: Karnataka’s victories have been the only instances of Ranji Trophy champions winning the Irani Cup in the last ten seasons. Mumbai have 15 Irani Cup titles, including one that was shared in 1965-66, but haven’t won in their last seven attempts. The last time they won the Irani Cup was in 1997-98. It is this anomaly that Mumbai, clearly big on history and legacy, is seeking to rectify.”I think our great history inspires us. It’s not easy for any team to win 41 championships,” Aditya Tare, the Mumbai captain, told ESPNcricinfo on the eve of the match. “If you see the 50s, 60s and 70s, that’s the time Mumbai dominated for three-four decades. Obviously the biggest attribute of Mumbai cricket is that hunger to win every season. The teams in the past have done that and we have to learn from that and take that legacy forward.”It will be great if we win because it’s been a long time since Mumbai have won the Irani Trophy, so it’s a big motivation to do something special, do a double in the first-class tournaments. It’s going to be a big challenge for us and I think the boys are pumped up. It is a great opportunity for us to showcase our talent against a tough opposition.”Tare said his team drew inspiration as much from Mumbai’s proud past as its own achievements in recent times. This synergy, he felt, gave Mumbai an advantage over other sides. “The style of cricket we play, the grit and determination, we have been groomed with that since childhood,” he said. “Even in the [under-]16s and under-19s we have coaches who talk about what teams in the past have achieved.”Having said that, it’s a young team and it’s important we keep motivating ourselves at every level we reach and keep that hunger going strong. In Mumbai everyone is on the same page, everyone wants to win games and everyone wants to keep that tradition going. That’s the difference. It makes us stand out from the other teams.”I think we have got the momentum and it’s not easy for a team [Rest of India] to quickly gel in a day or a two. That’s one thing that adds to our advantage, but by no means we can take the opposition lightly because there are players who have done well throughout the season. So we are wary about it and we are ready for the challenge.”Naman Ojha, the Rest of India captain, on the other hand, played down the relative disadvantage of not having enough time together as a team. “Playing for Rest of India is a great honour,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “They all want to play one level higher, and it would be good for them if they perform here, so automatically focus comes.”Ojha said he was impressed by Vidarbha batsman Faiz Fazal, Haryana offspinner Jayant Yadav and Assam seamer Krishna Das, and agreed it was a situation where individuals taking greater ownership for their performances would give the team a better shot at success. “I think that’s the only thing [that changes from a Ranji Trophy environment],” he said. “I think we don’t need to tell them [what their roles are]; they know why they are here. They need to do the same things that they are doing with their respective sides.”Mumbai play in a very disciplined manner; that’s the only thing where they are a little ahead of other teams. I think that [the will to counter Mumbai’s discipline] should come from within; if they want to play one level higher they will have to perform here.”There have been some strange omissions from the Rest of India side, like those of KB Arun Karthik, who scored 802 runs for Assam this season, Madhya Pradesh’s Jalaj Saxena (588 runs and 49 wickets) and Kerala’s Rohan Prem (705 runs).Mumbai, on the other hand, have been strengthened by the addition of young batsman Jay Bista, who scored a double century a few days ago to help Mumbai win the Colonel CK Nayudu under-23 trophy.Both Tare and Ojha agreed that performances in high-profile domestic matches like the Irani Cup carried greater weight. “It’s a game that a lot of people watch and pay a lot of attention [to],” Tare said. “If you take wickets or score runs in a Ranji Trophy final or an Irani Trophy game, there is a lot of impact. That’s one incentive I would say that players from both sides will have in this match.”