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Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has praised Chelsea’s switch to a three-at-the-back formation as they recorded their third victory in a row.

What has changed at Chelsea?

Graham Potter found himself under immense pressure following a dreadful run of results, but Chelsea have started to find their form, which has seemingly bought him more time in charge.

Ahead of their victory over Leeds United a week ago, Potter switched to a three-at-the-back formation, and the results have instantly improved, having played a 4-2-3-1 in their nightmare run.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Merson praised the decision, and claimed that Chelsea now look dangerous going forward.

He said (via Football Daily): “Chelsea look dangerous, look full of confidence, a completely different team to three or four weeks ago.

“Three at the back has made a difference. Chilwell gets forward, I thought Loftus-Cheek did very well. Kovacic is fit, he’s playing with Enzo Fernandez in midfield.

“They look a balanced team now. They look very balanced. They look quite solid.”

Should Potter stick with this formation?

Chelsea’s record under Potter this season has been poor, but there does appear to be a difference in results when playing with a back three compared to a back four.

They have lost 3 in 13 when fielding a three, compared to 6 in 16 with a back four, since Potter’s appointment in October.

Previous manager Thomas Tuchel would typically use a three-at-the-back formation, and perhaps the increased familiarity has helped the Chelsea squad in a season where there have been dramatic changes on and off the field.

Given the recent run of wins, Potter should stick with the formation and try and build some more cohesion within the squad to help climb back up the table.

Troy Deeney has ripped into his former teammate Abdoulaye Doucoure for his role in the second goal Everton conceded yesterday.

The Lowdown: Everton will be frustrated

While taking a point away at Nottingham Forest who haven’t lost at the City Ground since September should be deemed a positive result by Sean Dyche and the Evertonians, the manner of their collapse will be disappointing.

Everton did indeed take the lead twice yesterday which will have filled them with hope of picking up a huge three points against a relegation rival, but old tendencies foiled that idea.

There were errors for both goals from an Everton perspective with Jordan Pickford pushing Morgan Gibbs-White’s effort straight to Brennan Johnson and then Doucoure gave the ball way in his own half just seconds before Forest levelled things up.

The Latest: Doucoure cancels out all his good work

The Mali international put Everton ahead for this second time yesterday when he headed past Keylor Navas, but that was swiftly forgotten as he lazily gave up possession moments before Johnson got his second of the game, which Deeney was quick to highlight on Match of the Day 2.

He said: (44:55) “77 minutes, you’re 2-1 up away from home and this is perfect you’re in control. I played with Doucoure, he’s a lot better than this [giving the ball away] but he’ll be getting absolutely hammered for this.

“At this moment when you’re a player you’re thinking please don’t score and Brenan goes and sticks it into the top bin, so Dyche will be fuming.”

The Verdict: Dyche will be ruing individual errors

It’s been a mixed bag for Everton since Dyche was handed the job as he’s picked up seven points from seven games including two home wins that also resulted in clean sheets, but they’ve also shipped eight in their last games.

The fact that Everton didn’t really make Forest work for their goals as the first one was a tap-in from Johnson and the second one saw Doucoure hand the hosts the ball just a few yards out from Everton’s box will have Dyche fuming.

If Everton are to avoid the drop this season then they will certainly have to cut out individual errors as it is just allowing teams back into games far too easily and giving themselves a mountain to climb in every game.

Presenter of the HLTCO podcast Dan Cook has accepted that Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha will leave this summer amid transfer links to Tottenham Hotspur.

What’s the latest on Wilfried Zaha and Spurs?

It’s no secret that there is plenty of doubt about the winger’s future with the Eagles as his contract is currently set to expire at the end of the season.

In recent times, rumours have suggested that the player is yet to make a decision on what step he’ll take next in his career. However, the latest reports from London World note that Spurs are “increasingly confident of securing” Zaha’s signature.

In reaction to all this, Cook told HLTCO that he is “resigned to the fact” that the 30-year-old will leave Selhurst Park at the end of the current campaign.

In full, he said (08:21): “With every week that passes and no fresh news on a potential new contract for Wilf, I am becoming more and more resigned to the fact that he will be waving goodbye at the end of this season.

“I don’t want to get too bent out of shape about it. But at the same time, you know, it is going to be a very sizeable hole that we are going to have to plug/

“I’m not 100 per cent sure how we’re going to manage that without the financial muscle necessary to replace him. But you know, it’s something that we’ve been kicking down the road in terms of this particular saga for a number of years now.”

Could Spurs sign Zaha at the end of his Palace contract?

Antonio Conte and his side did sign a new winger in the winter when Arnaut Danjuma arrived from Villarreal on loan. However, that deal doesn’t have an obligation to buy, so the club could be in the market for another forward this summer.

What’s more, Brazilian attacker Lucas Moura will definitely be leaving north London at the end of the season when his contract expires, so you can see how Zaha might fit in at Spurs.

The Ivorian would arrive with plenty of proven Premier League experience having scored 67 goals and provided 43 assists in 297 games in the English top flight.

With that in mind, the Tottenham decision-makers may view him as a clever summer signing, especially as he won’t set them back with regard to a transfer fee.

This certainly looks like one to keep an eye out for over the coming months.

Within the last 48 hours, a very promising Manchester City transfer update has now come to light involving Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips.

The Lowdown: Man City eye Phillips move…

Having clinched their fourth domestic crown in five seasons, the Premier League champions could be set for another eye-catching campaign under manager Pep Guardiola, going by recent reports.

It is believed that a plethora of Sky Blues first-teamers could potentially leave Eastlands, including the likes of Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Nathan Ake (The Times).

Even Bernardo Silva is on the radar of La Liga giants Barcelona as sporting director Txiki Begiristain faces perhaps his biggest summer yet at the Etihad Stadium.

In terms of incomings, it is reliably believed that Leeds star Phillips and Brighton sensation Marc Cucurella are Guardiola’s top summer targets.

The Latest: Man City ‘expected’ to clinch Phillips deal…

According to a Football Insider report on Monday evening, City and Guardiola are ‘expected’ to complete a ‘big-money move’ for the Whites midfielder, who has his ‘heart set’ on a move to Eastlands.

The report added that Phillips has made it abundantly clear to ‘all parties’ behind the scenes that his wish is to join the English champions this summer, and a deal in the region of £50m could be done ‘in the coming weeks’.

The Verdict: Big news…

The 26-year-old has been a revelation at Elland Road when fit and available over the last two seasons, not to mention being a crucial player for the Whites.

Even though his impact wasn’t felt as much last term, Phillips did spend a lot of the 2021/22 campaign sidelined with a hamstring injury, missing 14 top-flight matches (Transfermarkt).

When he did play, the England international averaged more successful tackles per 90 for Leeds last season than any City player managed under Guardiola – backing how he could add a sense of tenacity in rotation with Rodri as the pivot.

Shining for the Three Lions at Euro 2020 last year, it’s little wonder that Phillips is seen as a ‘superstar’ in Yorkshire, as explained by BBC presenter Kelly Somers.

Sealing an agreement for the midfield maestro could be a brilliant bit of business for City.

Rangers have been handed a hammer blow over Ianis Hagi’s injury, as an insider has dropped a big claim on the Ibrox player’s comeback…

What’s the talk?

Gheorghe Hagi has revealed that his son may not return to action for another four months as he is only halfway through his recovery.

The Glasgow Times quote him as saying: “Ianis is very well, I went to the Europa League Final to see him and I will see him for longer because he is coming on holiday with us too.

“He has done about 50 per cent of his recovery and still has 50 per cent of work to do. His knee is as strong as it was before and actually probably stronger than before the injury.

“He’s on the right track and his rehabilitation has worked very well. But it’s still going to take three or four more months for him to return. Ianis will get over this difficult moment in his career though.”

Gio van Bronckhorst will be fuming

The Rangers head coach will be fuming with this claim, as it suggests that Ianis Hagi may not play for the Light Blues until September or October.

This means that the 23-year-old is now set to miss the start of the 2022/23 campaign and all of the club’s Champions League qualifiers. The Gers need to qualify for the group stage after missing out on the Europa League and Premiership crowns this year, and this latest update has ruled out Hagi’s involvement in those matches.

His absence is a big blow for Van Bronckhorst, as the Romania international is an excellent midfielder who has proven himself in Glasgow, thriving in the Premiership since his move from Belgium.

In the 2020/21 title-winning campaign, Hagi produced seven goals and 11 assists in 33 games as he proved that he can make a big impact in the final third. He has the quality to score and set up goals for the Gers, playing on either flank or in the number 10 position.

He has also showcased his ability in Europe for the Light Blues. In the memorable 2021/22 Europa League run, the 23-year-old provided one goal and one assist in five games, also creating three ‘big chances’, and this shows that he can perform well on the continental stage too.

Van Bronckhorst will therefore be gutted by this latest update. It comes as a hammer blow to Rangers, as they will now be without the talented midfielder’s quality for crucial matches later in the summer, and the head coach will now be hoping that his other players can step up to make sure that Hagi’s absence does not have a telling impact.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Lundstram: Wilson must land Rangers deal for “fabulous” £28k-p/w maestro…

Aston Villa could use Douglas Luiz to sign Moise Kean from Juventus, Italian journalist Marcello Chirico has claimed. 

The lowdown

Last summer, Juventus signed Kean on loan from Everton with an obligation to buy him for £24million.

Kean did make 44 appearances in 2021/22 but starting opportunities proved to be limited. Max Allegri selected him from the off in just 12 Serie A matches, and one Champions League fixture.

The Athletic’s Gregg Evans reported in May that Steven Gerrard may look to add ‘another forward option’ to his squad during the summer transfer window.

And transfer insider Dean Jones recently suggested that Villa might look to move Luiz on.

The latest

Chirico tweeted on Monday afternoon that ‘Aston Villa is interested’ in signing Kean this summer.

They have apparently ‘offered’ midfielder Luiz to the Bianconeri as part of the deal.

The verdict

Transfermarkt value Luiz at £31.5million, £7.5million more than Juventus have agreed to pay for Kean. And given that the Italian is clearly a little way down the pecking order at the Allianz Stadium, it seems unlikely that they would demand cash in addition to Luiz.

That, then, raises the prospect of a straight swap, an ‘unusual’ occurrence in football.

Is Kean the kind of no. 9 Villa should look for?

Well, his return of six goals last season is underwhelming, but remember, he rarely started games.

And the previous season, at Paris Saint-Germain, Kean commendably bagged 17 goals, with manager Thomas Tuchel dubbing him ‘fearless’ and former PSG player Eric Rabesandratana also praising his Edinson Cavani-esque work-rate.

Signing the seven-time trophy-winner would still be a risk, though, given that he struggled in his previous stint with an English club, netting only four times in 39 outings for Everton.

In other news, one pundit thinks this £120k-p/w star may have fallen out with Villa after he was transfer listed.

There haven’t been too many rumours in the way of possible incomings for Wolves yet this summer but an exciting hint has now been dropped.

What’s the word?

Romain Saiss officially left Wolves yesterday with his contract at Molineux expiring. It brought an end to a six-year association with the club that saw him become part of the promotion-winning squad.

What that means for the Midlands outfit could be reinforcements of a defensive persuasion and according to Tim Spiers, that may well be the expectation now.

Taking to Twitter yesterday, the Wolves correspondent for The Athletic said: “It also feels like a natural parting of ways, with Wolves looking to inject some youthful exuberance into next season’s squad and, after a few years of trying, perhaps that elusive top level CB too.”

Exciting news

Although Saiss’ exit from Bruno Lage’s squad leaves a hole to fill, and one that could become quite problematic with Max Kilman also linked with a departure, this is an exciting time to be a Wolves supporter.

Some added youthful bones to the squad will undoubtedly go down well and if they can finally sign a top-level centre-back, as Spiers hints at, it will leave Wolves in a significantly better place.

A real strong point of the Old Gold this season was their backline with Lage’s men conceding just 43 times, the fifth-fewest in the entire Premier League.

With that in mind, the addition of a central defender who is already reputable will go down nicely.

Of course, they need to add more goals to the team but further bodies at the back will certainly help their cause to finish in the European spots in 2022/23.

In the past, Wolves have been linked with the likes of Ruben Dias. That ship has sailed but a move was previously touted for Lille’s Sven Botman, although he is being courted elsewhere too.

A signing of that stature is something that the tenth-placed Premier League finishers have missed in years gone by so it would certainly be an electrifying start to the summer if they can unearth a top-class player in defence.

In club captain Conor Coady and the ever-improving Kilman, Wolves have the defensive foundations to prove a difficult match for anyone. Add a player of Botman’s ilk to the equation and you surely have a team that’s more ready to compete for a top seven spot next term. Watch this space.

AND in other news, Lage plotting exciting Wolves swoop for “special” £21.2m star, he’s Paul Ince 2.0…

The Daily Mail have now shared an interesting Tottenham Hotspur transfer update involving Wolverhampton Wanderers forward and current Barcelona loanee Adama Traore.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye January move…

The Spaniard was a serious Premier League transfer target for Spurs in the winter window, as backed by reliable sources like The Athletic, who revealed that manager Antonio Conte was eyeing him as a makeshift right-wing-back option.

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GiveMeSport even shared news that a move was very close at one point with both the Lilywhites and Traore’s representatives shaking hands on personal terms and agreeing to make him the club’s fourth-highest earner.

However, when the Catalans swooped in late-on, Tottenham’s plans were scuppered and Conte was left without a new-and-improved wing-back signing.

The Latest: Mail share interesting update…

The Mail, sharing news after Conte held crunch transfer talks with sporting director Fabio Paratici in Italy on Friday, now say that Traore has re-emerged as a target for Spurs.

Indeed, according to reliable reporter Mokbel, writing for the outlet, Tottenham’s boss has seemingly set his sights on a former flame.

The Verdict: Move on?

We believe, with some serious work, Traore could still be an asset for Conte as a makeshift attacking option on the right side of his defence – particularly considering he averaged a phenomenal 4.2 dribbles per 90 for Wolves before joining Barca (WhoScored).

It’s clear, when at his very best, the 26-year-old can be an extreme threat from out wide and members of the media seem to agree having watched him in England regularly.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke, commenting on the links to Spurs in January, raved over the ‘absolute world-beater’ who ‘nobody can stop’ with his pace and power.

Depending on Wolves’ asking price, it could well be a move Conte should consider.

In other news: Conte could see ‘one of the best in the world’ join Spurs after behind-scenes demand! Find out more here.

Liverpool have had their hopes of signing Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni boosted.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from RMCSport who claim that Tchouameni has reached an agreement with both Liverpool and Real Madrid, with both clubs now negotiating with AS Monaco.

It is said that the young Frenchman will make his choice before the end of the week, though, what has been confirmed is the rejection towards PSG, with the 22-year-old ruling the French champions out.

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Either way, it looks as though Liverpool are now closer to their second signing of the summer after agreeing upon a deal to bring Fabio Carvalho to Anfield.

Thiago 2.0 closer than ever

With Liverpool having agreed terms with the midfielder, the deal is closer than ever.

After what has been months of build-up, it looks as though the Monaco star will confirm his future by the end of the week. With both teams fighting for Champions League glory on the 28th of May, it remains to be seen as to whether the Bordeaux youth product will make his decision before the clash of the European giants.

If he opts to join Klopp’s side though. he could seize on an opportunity to develop his game positionally and push up to a more offensive-minded role in central midfield.

If this was the case, his outstanding technical ability on the ball would allow him to fit into the mould of the Spanish maestro, Thiago, whose style has benefited Klopp’s side massively this season. It’s also worth noting that the France international is noted as a similar player to the 31-year-old, based on his numbers this year (as per FBref)

As a holding midfielder for Monaco, his defensive acumen will come as no surprise, with all central midfielders in a Klopp system expected to be competent in the out-of-possession phase of the game.

Tchouameni’s average of 6.47 tackles plus interceptions per game is an outstanding return, but so is Thiago’s at an average of 5.90. You get the impression that Liverpool’s heavy metal approach to pressing would see Tchouameni’s metrics rise even higher.

Despite the 22-year-old’s shot-creating actions lacking, with an average of 2.07 SCA per game, the Monaco star has managed to drum up the same number of returns as Thiago this season, who boasts a match average of 3.21 SCA.

£60m Tchouameni, who’s capable of a “magnificent” long-range strike, has three goals and two assists to show for his 35 appearances in Ligue 1, primarily as a holding midfielder. Whilst Thiago has clocked up one goal and four assists in ten less games, his game is more about holding the ball and progressing the Reds.

Tchouameni’s metrics are entirely promising, and if he is to choose Liverpool over Madrid, he could well develop into a technical master like Thiago.

In other news: Exciting news: FSG’s brand new summer plan for Liverpool will leave supporters buzzing

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte is ‘very happy’ as reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano shares an exciting behind-the-scenes update.

The Lowdown: Conte wants backing…

Spurs’ head coach, who guide the Premier League top-four chasers to a previously unthinkable Champions League finish, will reportedly meet with both chairman Daniel Levy and transfer chief Fabio Paratici to outline his summer transfer plans.

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As many as six major signings are on his mind, including a reserve goalkeeper, right-wing-back, central defender, two midfielders and a forward, according to The Telegraph.

The Italian wants backing ahead of his first full season in charge, and according to Romano, they are set to make two star loans permanent on Conte’s behalf.

The Latest: Romano shares exciting update…

The reliable reporter claims Spurs’ boss is ‘very happy’ with both Dejan Kulusevski and Cristian Romero who have both starred under his tutelage.

As such, Spurs ‘will invest’ around €80 million (£68m) in total to seal their signings indefinitely.

Romano explained:

“Tottenham will sign both Dejan Kulusevski and Cristian Romero on a permanent deal. Spurs will invest around €80m total fee for two players who are considered key part of the project for present and future. #THFC Antonio Conte’s also very happy with Romero and Kulusevski.”

The Verdict: Huge…

Both men have been shining under Conte and have played big roles in Tottenham’s chase for the top four.

Romero has been a colossal presence in the Spurs back three while Kulusevski, who joined on loan from Juventus in January, has formed a deadly understanding with Harry Kane and Son Heung-min as part of the Lilywhites front three.

In a major statement of intent, the north Londoners securing both men is a fine way to show Conte they’re serious about matching his ambition.

In other news: Conte green-lights Spurs move as he now gives ‘unbelievable signing’ absolute priority, find out more here.