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Chelsea’s woeful form under Graham Potter continued on Sunday afternoon as they fell to a 2-0 defeat away against Tottenham Hotspur.

After a goalless first half, Oliver Skipp smashed the home side in front just a minute into the second 45, before Harry Kane made the points safe late on after poor defending from a corner.

The result leaves Potter’s side languishing in 10th position in the Premier League, with the pressure only likely to increase on the former Brighton boss as he continues to struggle to find his best formula, despite the millions spent on new acquisitions in January.

Despite bringing in a plethora of new wingers, Potter opted to start wantaway wide man Hakim Ziyech against Spurs, and will surely regret doing so after a shocking display.

Was Hakim Ziyech Chelsea’s worst player vs Spurs?

As per SofaScore, Ziyech would earn an abysmal 6.1/10 rating for his performance against the Lilywhites, with only Joao Felix (6.0) rated lower of any player to feature in the game.

During his time on the pitch, the Morocco international would register just 31 touches and 15 passes, which was fewer than the 17 passes managed by goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, which emphasises just how little he was involved at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The 29-year-old, who earns £100k per week at Stamford Bridge, was also fortunate to stay on the pitch, as his red card was switched to yellow after he pushed Emerson Royal and caught him in the face, with the Sky Sports commentators admitting during their coverage that he was “lucky” not to receive his marching orders.

The former Ajax man’s rare touches failed to produce anything of note, as he registered no shots on target, no key passes and no successful crosses during his time on the pitch, while he also lost 75% of his duels in the game, suggesting that the Spurs players were well on top.

Although Ziyech has been poor all season, averaging a 6.58 rating from WhoScored for his performances in the Premier League, he has averaged 0.8 key passes and 20.2 passes per game in the top flight, which suggests that he was especially bad on Sunday.

It was no surprise, therefore, that Potter opted to take the winger off just after the hour mark, with replacement Denis Zakaria managing more passes despite being on the pitch for around half as long.

Journalist Alasdair Gold has suggested that Tottenham Hotspur defender Davinson Sanchez is open to leaving the club at the end of the season.

What’s going on with Davinson Sanchez?

The defender, who arrived for around £42m from Ajax in 2017, has started just six league games this season, and with his contract expiring in 2024, he could be set to leave the club.

He started in Spurs’ loss to Sheffield United in the FA Cup, and his performance did not do him any favours as he seeks more regular first-team opportunities.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Gold revealed that Sanchez wants to move on from the club, and that all signs point towards a summer departure.

(46:20) “I know that he’s wanting to head off. He’s been open to a move in some of the recent windows. One in particular, during the pandemic, he really did kind of want to get back to his family and everyone,” he stated.

“He’s not getting the starts. I think he’s made six Premier League starts this season, so from his point of view, he wants to go somewhere and play regularly as well.

“I guess maybe is it about Spurs and their financial demands? I don’t know. I feel like we’re coming to a summer where it’s almost like a natural parting of ways.”

How has Sanchez’s time at Spurs been?

Given that he was the most expensive defender in the history of the club until Cristian Romero’s arrival in 2021, Sanchez has arguably been a disappointment overall.

He has made 199 appearances for the club, but has come in for some strong criticism for his performances over the years, and he is fourth choice, at best, in this current Spurs side.

At just 26, he should be coming into his prime years, having signed for the club when he was young, but his time at the club has not panned out the way they thought it would, and he now looks set to depart for what could be a massive financial loss on his transfer fee.

Chelsea star Mateo Kovacic has been lavished with praise for his brilliant midfield display as Graham Potter’s side defeat Borussia Dortmund 2-0.

The Lowdown: Huge night for Potter…

The Blues boss has been under-fire in recent months with previous reports linking the club to a potential Potter replacement.

Owner Todd Boehly and the board have apparently been weighing up the likes of Mauricio Pochettino but two wins in Chelsea’s last two games has seriously eased the pressure.

Potter’s side are now through to the Champions League quarter-finals after overturning a 1-0 first leg deficit, with goals from Raheem Sterling and Kai Havetz either side of half time sealing a crucial 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge.

Knocking out Dortmund could be a major turning point for Potter and Chelsea with members of the media heaping praise on one man.

The Latest: Kovacic praise…

Indeed, Kovacic was at the centre of real praise from the press, with various journalists raving over his quality on the night.

They said:

“I’ve probably tweeted this before… but Mateo Kovacic is so so good. Criminally underrated.” – Dominic Booth, ex-MEN sports writer

“Mateo Kovačić what a player!”- Veronica Brunati, Argentine sports journalist

“That goal comes from good work from Kovacic. He’s one of my favourite players to watch, so clever and so much quality” – Alex Howell, BBC Sport reporter

The Verdict: Mammoth display…

The 28-year-old put in a mammoth display against Dortmund last night, carrying Chelsea further up the pitch with his dribbles and proving an ever-reliable in Potter’s midfield.

As per SofaScore, Kovacic completed 100% of his attempted dribbles whilst winning the majority of his ground duels against Dortmund.

On top of that, he made one key pass in the forward areas, won four tackles and made two interceptions as he grew into the game.

The Chelsea figurehead could be a silently pivotal player as Potter seeks to get his reign truly up and running.

Leeds United had little to celebrate during their 16-year hiatus from the Premier League, with their misery only exacerbated as they even dropped into League One for a period.

It was the lowest the club had slumped to in their history and marked the most miserable period to support the Whites.

A return to the top flight seemed the most unlikely of targets but little did they know they were about to unleash a man who would take the team on his back to return them to within just one promotion of their dream.

The goalscoring exploits of Jermaine Beckford will go down in history at the Yorkshire outfit, as he appeared when they needed him most to inject some hope back into the club.

Whilst there were only a handful of heroes made before their eventual 2020 return, the 6 foot 2 striker certainly will remain one of those few to step up at their darkest hour.

How did Jermaine Beckford play for Leeds?

Having signed from Wealdstone after his incredible scoring record drew widespread attention, the young forward thrived on loan at Scunthorpe United where he foreshadowed his impressive League One form that would prove so important.

Upon his return to his parent club, who had themselves just been relegated from the Championship, he established himself as a mainstay in the side, scoring 20 times in 40 league matches.

The 39-year-old would not relent in his burning desire to propel the club to promotion, as the season following he would notch a further 27 goals as they again missed out on promotion.

It would be third time lucky though as once again Beckford showcased his imperious quality, scoring 25 times as they triumphantly returned to the second division. This was far from where they wanted to be but remained a huge step towards ensuring the further promotion that would come just a decade later.

Beckford’s exploits under Simon Grayson’s leadership even led journalist Oliver Todd to dub him a “Warneford Road legend” just months before his eventual departure.

Although it was a period the club would likely rather forget, to add a prime version of this hulking finisher up top for the current side would be a masterstroke, especially when Javi Gracia’s current outfit have scored just once in their last five games in all competitions, and Patrick Bamford has only mustered one league goal all season.

Not only this but similarities could even be drawn between the now-retired forward and Troy Deeney, who thrived in the Spaniard’s system as a target man who scored plenty.

Both boast incredible physiques and a ruggedness to challenge centre-backs, but arguably the former has far more speed which would make him even deadlier in the Spaniard’s preferred 4-4-2 alongside another frontman.

If anyone from the last decade or so could fix Leeds’ current goalscoring issues, then it’s certainly Beckford – just imagine if Gracia had him now.

Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes is still considered a target by Liverpool ahead of the summer transfer window, according to a fresh update.

The Lowdown: Nunes linked with Liverpool move

The Portuguese ace made the move to Molineux last summer, arriving as an exciting signing from Sporting CP, having made 101 appearances for the Primeira Liga giants.

Nunes has enjoyed a solid first season as a Wolves player, playing 24 times in the Premier League and enjoying an 81.4% pass completion rate in those matches.

Unfortunately, constant rumours have linked the 24-year-old with a summer move to Liverpool, even though he has only just got started for the Old Gold.

The Reds reportedly see him as a strong option to bolster their midfield issues, coming in as a younger alternative to the likes of Fabinho, Thiago, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

While Wolves resisted Liverpool’s interest during the January transfer window, a new report suggests that they won’t be going away in the near future.

The Latest: Reds still keen

According to The Athletic, Liverpool ‘retain an interest’ in Nunes and could therefore look to sign him at the end of the season, with Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount also in the conversation.

There is no mention of whether or not Wolves would be willing to sell him, although the fact that his current deal doesn’t expire until the summer of 2027 puts them in a strong bargaining position.

The Verdict: Concerning…

While Nunes hasn’t necessarily set the world alight in his first season at Wolves, failing to score and only registering one assist in the Premier League, losing him so soon would still be a blow for them.

It could be that, like so many foreign players to come to England, the 11-cap Portugal international needs a year or so to find his feet, before going up a significant gear next season.

With Ruben Neves, Adama Traore and Max Kilman all potentially moving on at the end of the season, seeing Nunes depart as well would be an added and avoidable concern.

Neves looks highly likely to depart after showing great loyalty over the years, Traore doesn’t seem entirely happy at Molineux and Kilman may also feel that a new challenge is required at this stage in his career.

Should all three move on, it is essential that Julen Lopetegui keeps hold of figures such as Nunes, building the team around him and ensuring the summer turnover isn’t too dramatic.

Glasgow Rangers’ transfer business has been well documented throughout the previous 25 years, with plenty of money being spent in order to vastly improve the squad and progress in Europe, especially under former chairman Sir David Murray.

The club won nine league titles in a row between 1988 and 1997 and in the first few years after the millennium, Murray wanted the Ibrox side to take the next step and become a European force. Of course, millions would need to be spent to achieve this goal, and they were, just ultimately on the wrong players.

When manager Dick Advocaat splash out £6.5m on Everton defender Michael Ball back in 2001, it looked as though the Light Blues had signed a player of considerable quality. It didn’t quite work out well for the left-back unfortunately during his spell at the club.

How much did Michael Ball cost Rangers?

At the time, the deal to bring Ball to Ibrox was the second highest in the club’s history and much hype was generated upon his arrival.

He missed 18 months of football early on in his Rangers career due to knee problems suffered at Everton and this heavily impacted the trajectory of his career.

The Englishman played just nine matches during his first season at the club and missed the whole of the 2002/2003 treble winning campaign.

40 matches in 2003/2004 was his best season at the Glasgow side, although in his last few years, he had to come to a strange agreement with Murray. If Ball played one more match, Rangers would have to pay another £500k to Everton and with the Gers short on money, Ball agreed to pay per appearance.

He said: "I remember it was a match at Ibrox when the gaffer Alex McLeish said the chairman wanted to see me – that's when he put the idea to me.

"Alex asked how it went, and I was still a little bit shocked about what had just happened.

"I had agreed to pay £4000 every time I played so they could pay Everton.

"I wasn't sure if I had got it right. We had a bit of a chuckle about it and later that day I came on as a sub with a few minutes left. I remember thinking 'that's just cost me four grand'!"

All in all, he made 67 appearances for the club across five and half seasons, which works out at around £97k per game in relation to his initial transfer fee – excluding wages – and this simply wasn’t money that Rangers could afford to waste.

If he managed to keep himself fit, there is no doubt he could have enjoyed a wonderful career in Scotland, however it proved to be a massive transfer shocker by Murray.

Manchester United are enjoying a stellar campaign so far, yet it’s one that has included both 6-3 and 7-0 defeats to their arch-rivals, Manchester City and Liverpool, respectively.

Erik ten Hag is bringing back the feel-good factor to Old Trafford, no doubt about it, however he still has some work to do this summer if he wants to keep improving – as those shambolic losses illustrate.

Despite Marcus Rashford’s goals – the Englishman having netted 27 for the season across all fronts – the Red Devils desperately require a world-class number nine and although summer arrival Lisandro Martinez has impressed this term, another centre-back should be on the list, with Harry Maguire looking likely to depart.

The Englishman has only started five Premier League matches under Ten Hag, and he was even described as looking “lost” by writer Hesham Bilal-Hafiz against Fulham in their FA Cup quarter-final tie last weekend, suggesting he is on his last legs in a Man United shirt.

The summer transfer window could be an interesting period for the club and with Champions League qualification looking likely, the Dutchman will eye new talent.

Could Axel Disasi join Manchester United?

According to French news outlet Foot Mercato, United could soon be about to launch a move for Axel Disasi, who is currently playing for AS Monaco, this summer as Ten Hag looks to strengthen his defence.

The report claims that the French is valued at €50m (£44m) if he is to move to England this summer, and it is a fee United can certainly afford, especially if they sell Maguire and some other deadwood.

Indeed, both Maguire and Victor Lindelof could be sold ahead of 2023/2024 according to Football Insider, therefore signing another defender a key priority in the transfer window.

Not only does Disasi prove to be more of a goal threat compared to Maguire (five goal contributions to none) but he has also registered more tackles won (17 to four), blocks (40 to 15), interceptions (45 to seven) and won a higher percentage of aerial duels (71% to 54.5%), clearly demonstrating how effective he is at the heart of the defence.

The “dominant” titan – as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig previously – stands at 6 foot 2 tall and his aerial ability could be extremely useful in the United backline.

A move for the 25-year-old would give Ten Hag a licence to say bye bye to Maguire and with his performances this season proving to be underwhelming, it will represent another step forward in the club's new era under the former Ajax manager.

Arsenal have now commenced talks over a new deal for winger Reiss Nelson as the league leaders look to fend off European suitors.

Who could leave Arsenal this summer?

Mikel Arteta's side are currently in pole position to clinch their first Premier League title in 20 years and things could not look rosier for the north Londoners at this present moment.

Eight points clear of closest rivals Manchester City, the prospect of silverware is a distinct one for supporters as Arteta shapes his team into real winners. Of course, given the quality and size of their squad now, some players have been forced to play more of a bit-part role.

The likes of Rob Holding and Emile Smith Rowe have been linked with moves away from the club, while Nelson's current deal is set to expire this summer as things stand.

The former England Under-21 international has been used sparingly overall, with a combination of injury problems and competition for places seriously hindering his level of game time.

Nelson has contributed effectively when called upon though, scoring a brace and assisting one other during Arsenal's 5-0 home win over Nottingham Forest late last year.

More recently, the 23-year-old notched a crucial goal and assist to help Arteta overcome Bournemouth 3-2 at the Emirates – resulting in his inclusion in every matchday squad since.

Now, as per reliable reporter Fabrizio Romano, Nelson is set to be rewarded with fresh terms – coming as his contract is slowly winding down and sides from Europe are eyeing a move.

The journalist explained (via Twitter):

"Understand negotiations are currently underway between Arsenal and Reiss Nelson representatives for a contract extension. Current deal expires in June. Arteta would be happy to keep Reiss, while more European clubs are showing interest in potential free transfer."

Should Arsenal keep Nelson?

The forward has arguably done what he's needed to do when given the nod by Arteta, and his contribution against Bournemouth may well prove crucial in Arsenal's hunt for the title.

Arteta seems in no doubt that he is an important player, recently stating to the media:

“I always saw the potential.

“The talent and the desire for him to do it, but he’s at a different level right now. I think emotionally, the experiences that he had helped him.

"He’s been training really good and it’s a good lesson for me and for the coaches that we need him and that he can be really important for the team."

Indeed, going by Arteta's comments, it appears Arsenal supporters could be seeing a lot more of the starlet if they can agree on fresh terms.

Sunderland player Luke O'Nien has jokingly mocked rivals attacker Ashley Barnes after the two clashed in a recent Championship game.

What's the latest on Luke O'Nien and Sunderland?

In their latest outing, the Black Cats managed to do their pursuit of a potential top-six finish a favour as they picked up an impressive point on the road.

Indeed, travelling away to Turf Moor to take on Championship leaders Burnley, Sunderland fought well to keep a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw.

As a result, Tony Mowbray and his side are now seven points behind Blackburn Rovers who are sitting in the last promotion play-off spot.

During the game, however, Barnes and O'Nien challenged for the ball and it seems the Burnley man left his mark on the Sunderland 28-year-old.

Indeed, in a funny post made on Instagram, O'Nien shared a picture of the potentially painful incident.

He also added the caption: "Lads dug deeper than Ashley Barnes fingers up my nose last night."

Did O'Nien play well for Sunderland?

It's safe to say O'Nien – who earns around £6000 per week – was actually pretty important in this draw as he was praised for his efforts with an eight out of ten score in the Chronicle Live player ratings (which was the best in the team).

Indeed, journalist James Hunter was keen to dish out the plaudits, noting O'Nien "moved back into central defence and was outstanding alongside [Danny] Batth."

The same couldn't really be said for Burnley forward Barnes who didn't impress quite as much during his battle against the Sunderland players.

For instance, he was handed just a 6.5/10 in the Burnley Express player rating as journalist Dan Black explained his troubles on the night.

He wrote: "The striker's reaction said it all after he'd lifted an effort over the crossbar from Josh Brownhill's hooked pass in the first half. He's now without a goal in six appearances, but brings far more to the team than his finishing alone. Uses the ball well, influences play in the number 10 role, though he came up against a determined competitor in Danny Baath."

In the end, it's not a bad point for both teams as the Clarets remain 11 points clear at the top of the table while SAFC performed well and got their reward at a very difficult venue.

And it's great to see O'Nien was able to see the funny side of things after the game, despite this potentially painful incident.

Chelsea plan to offer Christian Pulisic as part of a swap deal to win the race for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic this summer, according to a recent report from Juve Live.

Which strikers could Chelsea sign this summer?

Chelsea could be set for another high-spending transfer window, with it being reported they are preparing a £100m offer for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, who is deemed to be their priority target this summer.

However, the Nigerian is not the only forward being targeted by the Blues, as they have also been linked with a move for Brighton & Hove Albion striker Evan Ferguson, having been impressed by the 18-year-old's breakthrough season.

The west London club were alerted to the potential availability of Vlahovic back in December, making contact with the player's agent, and they could now be set to formalise their interest with an offer, which could end up being a swap deal.

As per a report from Juve Live (via Sport Witness), the Serbian is ready to leave Juventus this summer, and the Italian club would be willing to sanction his departure, but he could cost up to €80m (£70m).

In order to bring this price down, Chelsea could instead offer €50m (£44m) plus Pulisic, as the American is no longer a part of the club's plans, although it is not stated whether a move to Italy would interest him.

The Blues are not the only Premier League side competing for the striker, as Tottenham Hotspur are also in the race, while Arsenal are also said to be keeping tabs on him.

Should Chelsea sign Dusan Vlahovic?

It is evident that Frank Lampard's side are in need of a goal-scorer, given that they are averaging less than a goal a game in the Premier League this season, scoring 29 times in 30 games, just the 13th-highest total in the entire top flight.

The issues in front of goal have been particularly prominent in recent weeks, with Chelsea failing to score in their last three games, despite having 2.17 expected goals in the 0-0 draw against Liverpool.

Vlahovic could be the remedy to these problems, having been described as a "monster" by journalist Carlo Garganese, while Angelo Mangiante has lauded him as a "predator".

That said, the 23-year-old marksman has been eclipsed by Osimhen in the Serie A this season, having scored just eight league goals, compared to the Napoli star's 21, and so the latter player should still be the Blues' priority target.