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The star man took centre stage as usual, but his protege showed there is hope for the future as Luis Enrique's side established a first-leg lead

Kylian Mbappe was the protagonist, but young Bradley Barcola showed that Paris Saint-Germain might just survive without him as the Parisians' wingers grabbed the goals in a 2-0 first-leg win over Real Sociedad on Wednesday night.

Luis Enrique's side endured a disappointing opening period, but a controlled second half saw them ease past their Spanish visitors.

The Parisians had their chances in the first half; Mbappe scuffed his effort after running through on goal, before Ousmane Dembele lashed a shot into the side netting. La Real came closest before half-time though, with Mikel Merino rattling the bar from 30 yards out.

Mbappe opened the scoring early in the second half, darting in at the far post to meet a Marquinhos flick-on. Barcola added the second soon after, skipping past his man down the left before threading an effort through the goalkeeper's legs. Mbappe came within inches of the third with a driven strike from long range. The defence did its work, too – La Real didn't put a single shot on target all evening.

This wasn't impressive at first, but a strong second half has seen Luis Enrique's men take a significant stride towards achieving their unlikely Champions League dream.

GOAL rates PSG's players from Parc des Princes…

GettyGoalkeeper & Defence

Gianluigi Donnarumma (6/10):

Made a couple of neat saves, and was otherwise untroubled. Surprising that he had such a quiet night.

Achraf Hakimi (6/10):

Offered legs but not much quality down the right. Most of La Real's threat came from the other wing.

Marquinhos (7/10):

Assisted Mbappe's opener, won his aerial duels, and kept the ball moving. A commanding presence.

Danilo Pereira (8/10):

Completed all but four of his passes, didn't lose a 50/50 and looked assured at the back. He might be Marquinhos' ideal partner.

Lucas Beraldo (7/10):

Preferred to Lucas Hernandez, and held down the left side effectively. Kept Take Kubo quiet for the most part.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMidfield

Warren Zaire-Emery (6/10):

A hardworking shift in the middle. Didn't do much in possession, but went about his defensive work diligently.

Vitinha (7/10):

A buzzing presence in central midfield – especially after the break. Won the ball back with regularity, made things happen in tight spaces.

Fabian Ruiz (7/10):

Tidy on the left side of a midfield three. Connected with Mbappe effectively. Assisted Barcola's goal. A showing that made a case for more minutes.

GettyAttack

Ousmane Dembele (5/10):

Fired one into the side-netting in a waste of one of the best chances of the first half. Didn't have much of an impact in 90 disappointing minutes.

Kylian Mbappe (8/10):

Missed a good chance early on after being sent through on goal. Grabbed PSG's first with a tidy finish. Rattled the bar shortly after, and whipped one just over. Scary when he's in this kind of mood.

Bradley Barcola (8/10):

A fantastic shift on the left. Did his defensive work effectively, competed for 50/50s, and took his goal wonderfully. His best game in a PSG shirt.

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GettySubs & Manager

Marco Asensio (6/10):

Had a couple of efforts on goal, and kept things flowing on the break.

Lucas Hernandez (5/10):

Tasked with handling Kubo – which he didn't do too effectively.

Randal Kolo Muani (6/10):

Almost scored a wonderful third.

Luis Enrique (7/10):

Made a few interesting calls, including selecting Barcola ahead of Kolo Muani, and Beraldo over Hernandez. PSG were poor in the first half, and much improved in the second. Not perfect, but he will take the 2-0 lead.

Claude Puel made a handful of shrewd signings during the 2018 summer transfer window and one of those players, Ricardo Pereira, is rapidly beginning to establish himself as one of the bargains of the Premier League season. 

Leicester secured the signing of Pereira from FC Porto last summer in a deal which cost them £19.8 million. Puel wasted no time in integrating him into the squad and he was immediately thrown into the first-team, providing an assist for James Maddison on only his second outing of the season.

Embracing one of the most fundamental characteristics of a modern day full-back, Pereira’s attacking prowess immediately caught the eye; his defensive quality, on the other hand, was less clear cut.

With the ball at his feet Pereira looked composed, confident and a constant threat in the final-third, regardless of whether he was dribbling towards the byline or lining up a whipped cross into the danger zone.

But perhaps the truest indicator of Pereira’s suitability for the demands of the Premier League arrived on Merseyside on Wednesday evening, where he was exceptional against Liverpool.

His reputation amongst the Foxes faithful was already beginning to snowball after he powered home an emphatic winning goal against Manchester City on Boxing Day, but the maturity of his performance against the league-leaders was a genuine indicator into the extent of his development this season.

Pereira was, typically, always available as an outlet moving forward, striving to support Leicester on the breakaway down the right flank, but his ability to contribute defensively to a stellar effort from the back-four would have delighted the supporters.

His attacking quality has always been obvious but, as is so often the case for full-backs in this day and age, his defensive attributes evoked cause for concern.

But, after undergoing a transition period at the King Power Stadium and adapting to the speed of a new style of football, Pereira has established himself as a reliable defensive asset.

While Manchester City are far from your average benchmark for transfer fees, that Pereira only cost £19.8 million – £30.2 million less than City paid for Walker, £32.2 million less than they paid for Benjamin Mendy and £6.7 million less than they paid for Danilo – justifies his status as one of the bargains of the season.

Leicester fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

Riyad Mahrez's wife Taylor Ward has warned friends she would look like "the biggest tramp" after her husband's big-money move to Saudi Arabia.

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Ward speaks of struggles to adapt to Saudi cultureAl-Ahli move came as shock to Manchester lassAmazon series lifts lid on player relationshipsGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

A new reality series revealed the model's anxiety over her husband's summer departure from Manchester City and her difficulties adapting to a new life in the Middle East. Faced with suddenly having to move away from her native north west, Ward is featured in Amazon's emotionally addressing of having to suddenly pack their bags.

AdvertisementWHAT TAYLOR WARD SAID

"No lashes, no nails. Oh my god, I'm going to be the biggest tramp when I come home you're not even going to recognise me," Ward told a group of friends about the move.

GettyTHE GOSSIP

In other scenes, Ward breaks down in tears as she talks about the upheaval and recounts a story where she is told by staff that the hotel pool was only available to be used by men.

The show features the partners of Arsenal's Jorginho and City's Ilkay Gundogan among others and attracted some typically forthright social media interest when a trailer featuring Everton's James Tarkowski in flirting mode went viral earlier in the week.

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WHAT NEXT FOR TAYLOR WARD & RIYAD MAHREZ?

The former City winger will be hoping to turn fortunes around on the pitch as Al-Ahli look to breathe life into a difficult season when they take on Al-Tai on Saturday afternoon.

Adi Hutter showed faith in Folarin Balogun by keeping him in Monaco's XI, and the American repaid that faith with a goal and an assist in a 3-2 win.

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Balogun scores in Monaco winAssists game-winnerResponds to penalty disasterclass

After missing two penalties in Monaco's recent loss to Nice, Balogun retained his place in the club's starting XI, scoring the fourth goal of a crazy 3-2 win over Marseille at the Stade Louis II.

Balogun's goal came with his side trailing 2-1 as the American star levelled the scoreline with a fantastic finish. It was his second goal since joining the club, and certainly one of the most important of his young career as he showed he can bounce back from a major setback.

He wasn't done, though, as Balogun then turned provider in the second half for Maghnes Akliouche, who had set up the American's first-half goal. Akliouche gave Monaco the 3-2 lead as they went on to seal all three points from a crazy match that saw Balogun play a part in two goals.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The match was chaotic from the opening minute, with Marseille grabbing an early lead thanks to a goal from Iliman Ndiaye within the first minute. It didn't take too much longer for Monaco to wake up, though, as Aldiouche made it 1-1 with his first of two goals in the eighth minute.

In the 18th minute, Marseille regained the lead thanks to Samuel Gigot, but Balogun's goal four minutes later ensured that lead was short-lived.

Finally, Akliouche earned Monaco the points with his fantastic finish in the 52nd, getting onto the end of a Balogun pass before picking out a corner on the near post.

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It was a strong performance from Balogun, who started up top alongside veteran Wissam Ben Yedder rather than as a lone striker. The two had a few good moments together, combining on one good sequence in the second half, but Balogun's best work came alongside Akliouche, who started as an attacking midfielder.

Despite the penalty mess last time out, Balogun is looking more comfortable ad Monaco as Hutter figures out the best way to use the strikers at his disposal. This two-striker set may just be the way forward, although it feels like that will most likely change when Takumi Minamino and Alexandr Golovin return to the XI.

The Japanese international was ruled out of this match after winning Ligue 1 Player of the Month in August with three goals and three assists. Golovin, meanwhile, was suspended.

GettyUSMNT IMPACT

Balogun's sequence was another example of why he's exactly what the USMNT had been looking for. It wasn't a poacher's goal or a system goal; this was a goal where a striker simply said, "I'm going to finish this".

It's something the U.S. has lacked for some time: a pure striker with the ability to just go out and get goals. That was something Balogun displayed with his goal earlier this year in the Nations League, and it was hard not to notice that this one felt somewhat similar to the one set up by Gio Reyna back in the summer.

For the U.S., seeing Balogun bounce back will be fantastic news, especially with big friendlies against Ghana and Germany coming up in October.

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GettyGOAL'S RATINGS

Folarin Balogun (8/10):

A massive, massive performance from the striker in a wild game. Clearly didn't lose his confidence, which is a great sign for a young striker. His finish was fantastic and, even other than that, was totally involved, as evidenced by his assist.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland receives more requests for autographs than Lionel Messi did in his prime at Barcelona, according to a new book.

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Haaland inundated with autograph requests

Man City striker asked to sign more shirts than Messi

City paid €100m to recruit Norwegian in 2022WHAT HAPPENED?

Haaland has been inundated with requests to sign shirts and memorabilia ever since he joined Pep Guardiola's side in 2022 and is always happy to oblige, according to an updated version of the book by Pol Ballus and Lu Martin. And staff who have worked with Guardiola at Barcelona and City claim that the Norwegian gets more requests to sign stuff than Messi did when he was with the Catalans and in the prime of his career.

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City paid around €100 million in transfer fees and commissions to sign Haaland from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 but he has been worth every penny, firing the Blues to the treble last season while scoring a record 52 goals in 53 games in all competitions. The Norwegian, who has already scored 14 Premier League goals this term, could be forgiven for developing a bit of an ego, but , which has been updated to include new details of how the club won the treble, reports that he is well liked by staff and team-mates.

“He’s always in a good mood and has a kind word for everyone,” a staff member told the book's authors. “He’s made such a difference to the team and, when you think how famous he is, it’s amazing he’s still such a sweet guy. You’d expect that a player of Erling’s status and physical size might be arrogant and demanding – a bit of a diva. But he’s got a smile for everyone and is always happy to chat. He’ll take the piss, too, but more importantly, he can handle a joke at his own expense.”

DID YOU KNOW?

Jack Grealish is Haaland's closest friend at City and the pair, who live in the same block of apartments in the centre of Manchester along with neighbours Ruben Dias, Julian Alvarez and Sergio Gomez, are described as "inseparable".

Haaland also ingratiated himself to his new team-mates last year by turning up to a Halloween party organised by Kyle Walker and Riyad Mahrez dressed as a Viking, baring his chest amid the freezing Manchester weather.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR HAALAND

After breaking the records for being the fastest player to reach 50 Premier League goals and 40 Champions League goals within the last week, Haaland will be setting his sights on further bloating his tally when City host title rivals Tottenham on Sunday.

Erik ten Hag's future at Manchester United appears to be under even more scrutiny after the club's incoming sporting director met with Graham Potter.

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Dan Ashworth meets PotterTen Hag under pressure to deliverUnited face Man City tomorrowWHAT HAPPENED?

According to , Dan Ashworth, potentially United's next sporting director, was spotted meeting the former Chelsea and Brighton manager. Ashworth and Potter worked together very successfully at the Amex Stadium and the pair have remained close since. Potter has been linked with the United job and the Red Devils' new decision-makers may look to reunite the pair in Manchester.

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Following another season of lacklustre performances and a weakdefence, huge pressure is mounting on Ten Hag to improve the side's performances. The Dutchman has struggled to impose his identity on the team and if United fail to qualify for the Champions League, the United hierarchy may look elsewhere – if they aren't already.

DID YOU KNOW?

United have struggled in restricting opposition attacks this season. In just their last five games (against Fulham, Luton, Aston Villa, West Ham and Wolves) United have conceded 100 shots. This is not a new phenomenon either, with the Red Devils' backline among the leakiest defences in the league.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR TEN HAG AND POTTER?

Whether Ashworth has offered Potter the keys to Old Trafford or not, Ten Hag will be looking over his shoulder. If Potter is set to be the new United manager, he will be watching as the Red Devils travel to the Etihad hoping to avoid another hammering by their city rivals on Sunday.

Carlo Ancelotti claimed that it is up to Luka Modric to decide if he wants to continue at Real Madrid beyond this season.

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Modric to decide on his Real Madrid futureScored in Real Madrid's win over SevillaHas started in only 11 La Liga matches this seasonWHAT HAPPENED?

The Real Madrid boss refused to comment on Luka Modric's contract extension at Real Madrid as he claimed that the decision is in the player's hands. The veteran midfielder, who served Los Blancos for the past 12 years, has less than six months left in his current deal.

AdvertisementWHAT CARLO ANCELOTTI SAID

Speaking to reporters, the Italian manager said, "We celebrated Luka because he deserved it, he scored a great goal that gave us three points, and he brought a lot more. He had freshness. He shows that it is very difficult to leave him on the bench. Not just because of the goal, but because of how he trains every day.

"It's in Luka's hands what he wants to do. We have to wait for his decision. Out of respect for him, I can't give him advice. He knows perfectly well what he has to do. The quality of the minutes is more important than the quantity."

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The Croatia international scored the only goal for his club on Sunday as they beat Sevilla 1-0 in a crucial La Liga fixture. The win helped them to maintain their eight-point lead at the top of the table. In the ongoing season, Modric has appeared in 21 league fixtures out of which he started in 11.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

Los Merengues will be next seen in action on Saturday as they take on Valencia in a league fixture before they face RB Leipzig in the Champions League on March 6.

GOAL brings you a comprehensive list of the best young players to buy on FM 24

Football Manager 2024 is out now and, if you're anything like us, you're probably plotting your route to success in the game.

Get Football Manager 2024 now!Buy now

A major part of the fun of any Football Manager game is finding and then nurturing the best young talent around. Unearthing a largely unheralded wonderkid is one thing, but you need to manage them carefully in order to ensure that they mature into a world class player.

So you've decided who you will manage and to help you lay the groundwork for total domination in FM24, GOAL brings you some of the best wonderkids under the age of 20 to sign on the game.

GettyBest young strikers on FM24

Player Age Club Nationality

Endrick16SEPBrazilYoussoufa Moukoko18Borussia DortmundGermanyVitor Roque18ATPBrazilEvan Ferguson18BrightonRepublic of IrelandShaqueel van Persie16FeyenoordNetherlandsRodridgo Ribeiro17SportingPortugalMatthys Tel18Bayern MunichNetherlandsGabriel Silva16SportingPortugalEnzo Sternal16Marseille (OM)FranceTalles Wander19SPOBrazilSkye Vink17AjaxNetherlandsJamie Donley18TottenhamNorthern IrelandPau Sans18ZaragozaSpainIker Villar17SevillaSpainKarim Konate19RB SalzburgIvory Coast

Endrick is undoubtedly the highest rated young striker to buy in Football Manager 2024, with the SEP (Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, in case you are wondering) wonderkid being likened to Cristiano Ronaldo among others.

Brighton's Irish striker Evan Ferguson has been touted for a £100 million move so you'll need deep pockets to sign him, but there are other options too, such as Shaqueel van Persie, son of – you guessed it – Robin van Persie.

Countries such as Portugal, the Netherlands and Brazil can be happy hunting grounds for wonderkid strikers, but it is worth bearing in mind that Brazilian footballers cannot move abroad until the age of 18.

AdvertisementGettyBest young midfielders on FM 24

Player Age Club Nationality

Lamine Yamal15BarcelonaSpainWarren Zaire-Emery17PSGFranceStefan Bajcetic18LiverpoolSpainArda Guler18Real MadridTurkeyGiacomo Faticanti18SalentoItalyJunior Kroupi17LorientFranceEstevao16SEPBrazilNoah Darvich16BarcelonaGermanyRodrigo Mora16PortoPortugalClaudio Echeverri17RiverArgentinaShea Lacey16Man UFCEnglandBadredine Bouanani18NiceAlgeriaBen Doak17LiverpoolScotlandRoony Bardghji17KobenhavnSwedenYaser Asprilla19WatfordColombiaGianluca Prestianni17VelezArgentinaLorran16FLABrazilMikey Moore15TottenhamEnglandAndreas Schjelderup19NordsjaellundNorwayJoao Rego18BenficaPortugalKendry Paez16Independiente del ValleEcuadorGavi18BarcelonaSpainArchie Gray17Leeds UnitedEnglandAssan Ouedraogo17SchalkeGermanyJoao Neves18BenficaPortugal

If you are looking for a midfield wonderkid, be it a CDM, CAM, or winger, we've got you covered. Of course, there are a number of obvious candidates, such as Lamine Yamal, Warren Zaire-Emery or Arda Guler, but these players will require you to be in charge of a top quality team with a huge transfer budget.

Send your scouts to have a look at Brazil youngster Estevao, or Leeds United's Archie Gray, while Ecuadorian wonderkid Kendry Paez is turning heads so you need to move quickly.

GettyBest young defenders on FM24

Player Age Club Nationality

Alejandro Balde19BarcelonaSpainIvan Fresneda18SportingSpainRico Lewis18Man CityEnglandMichael Kayode18FiorentinaItalyGiorgio Scalvini19AtalantaItalyValentin Barco18BocaArgentinaAntonio Silva19BenficaPortugalJorrel Hato17AjaxNetherlandsOusmane Diomande19SportingIvory CoastEthan Butera17AjaxBelgiumLuka Vuskovic16HajdukCroatiaPau Cubarsi16BarcelonaSpainMilos Kerkez19BournemouthHungaryHarvey Araujo18FulhamEnglandAnders Borset17WolfsburgNorwayHector Fort16BarcelonaSpainMartim Fernandes17PortoPortugalXavi Grande18LevanteSpainThuto Mojanata16FeyenoordNetherlandsEmanuel15Real MadridBrazil

Barcelona boast a number of talented young defenders, including Alejandro Balde, but, depending on your budget and stature, you may have better luck trying to sign someone like Hector Fort.

If it's a tough-tackling centre-back you are after, you can't go far wrong with an Italian, such as Giorgio Scalvini, with Michael Kayode another option to consider.

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GettyBest young goalkeepers on FM24

Player Age Club Nationality

Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro19AZNetherlandGuillaume Restes18ToulouseFranceDennis Seimen17StuttgartGermanyDiego Callai18SportingBrazilBartosz Zelazowski18NicePolandSpike Brits16Man CityEnglandTommy Setford17AjaxEnglandChris Brady19ChicagoUSAFaaris Yusufu18SchalkeGermanyTommaso Martinelli17FiorentinaItalyJustin Joao Bengui17Lyon (OL)FranceCharlie Setford19AjaxEnglandFroilan Diaz17Union (SF)ArgentinaLuiz Turatto17ATPBrazilNorberto Bedolla17Club AmericaMexico

Traditionally, goalkeepers tend to hit their prime later on in their careers, but every now and then a precocious shotstopper emerges, like Iker Casillas or Gianluigi Donnarumma.

It remains to be seen if the likes of Dennis Seimen or Spike Brits will break through and become household names, but they have the potential to be star keepers in FM 24.

Napoli star Victor Osimhen has launched a furious rant towards Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's agent, after he claimed the striker will move to Saudi Arabia.

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Kvaratskhelia's agent made claim about Osimhen futureStriker responds on InstagramSent furious messageWHAT HAPPENED?

Kvaratskhelia's agent gave an interview earlier this week in which he claimed that Osimhen "will go to Saudi Arabia next summer". The striker signed a new contract at the Serie A club in December, extending his stay until 2026 with a release clause worth around £113m ($144m), and he did not hold back in his response to Mamuka Jugeli.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT OSIMHEN SAID

Osimhen wrote on his Instagram stories: "Dear Mamuka Jugeli, you are a piece of filth and a disgrace. I'm embarrassed at your sense of reasoning. Dumbf*ck! KEEP MY NAME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH!"

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Osimhen remains a key player for Napoli and has scored eight goals in 18 games in all competitions this season. He has been linked with a potential exit from the Serie A club, and both Arsenal and Chelsea have been credited with an interest.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR NAPOLI?

The Italian champions may need to mediate between their two star players as they prepare for a clash with Salernitana this weekend. Napoli are currently ninth in Serie A and have not won any of their last three games.

Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia are each getting close to Chelsea debuts after training ahead of the Blues' Newcastle clash in the Premier League.

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Nkunku & Lavia train ahead of Newcastle matchBoth still waiting for Chelsea debutBlues unbeaten in last three matchesWHAT HAPPENED?

With Chelsea team-mates involved in international games elsehwere, Nkunku and Lavia were pictured training together at Cobham on Monday evening. Following earlier reports that both are at last nearing full fitness and their respective debuts, it raises the possibility that either could feature against Newcastle.

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Signed in the summer, both Nkunku, who cost £53 million ($67m), and £58m ($74m) Lavia are yet to play for Chelsea. The former, who scored 58 goals for RB Leipzig in the previous two campaigns alone, had impressed in pre-season before suffering a knee ligament injury in a friendly against Borussia Dortmund. The Blues later beat Liverpool to Lavia's signature but an ankle problem has kept him out of action.

WHAT POCHETTINO SAID

Mauricio Pochettino said prior to facing Manchester City recently: "I had a conversation with Christopher and he said to me he wanted to be involved after the international break, against Newcastle. I think he's close and he is doing really well. We are so happy with him in the way that he is doing his recovery. He is very professional. Romeo Lavia is also close."

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

After a dire start to the season, Chelsea finally seem to be finding some rhythm and have only lost one of their last eight games in all competitions, winning five of them. Having pushed Manchester City all the way in a 4-4 draw last time out, they need to keep that momentum going into upcoming fixtures against Newcastle, Brighton, Manchester United, Everton and Sheffield United over the next four weeks.