Arsenal’s Saka out for ‘many weeks’ with injury​​

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has said his team cannot afford to underestimate anyone despite their growing lead at the top of the Premier League table.

Liverpool are four points clear of second-placed Chelsea having played a game less following Sunday’s commanding 6-3 victory over Tottenham.

Slot’s side have lost just one of their 16 matches in the league this season and will look to continue their impressive form when they host struggling Leicester City at Anfield on Boxing Day.

Ruud van Nistelrooy’s team are 17th in the table, with just three wins from 17 league games this term, and go into Thursday’s clash off the back of a bruising 3-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

However, Slot has insisted Liverpool will have to be at their best if they are to get the better of Leicester and has promised that his side will not allow complacency to creep in as they continue to challenge for the club’s 20th league title.

“I think the positive is that teams that are positioned in the lower side of the league table, they mostly lose games but since Ruud is there, they also won a few so that shows you that he’s done really well, especially when he came in,” Slot said told a pre-match news conference.

“Now he had two tough results in a row. These teams, all of them, it’s special to go to Anfield and they know if they go to Anfield, they have to be at their best so they will never underestimate us.

“Hopefully that’s the good thing about the 15 minutes we saw against Tottenham [when Liverpool conceded two second-half goals], that we understand we cannot underestimate for one minute in the Premier League.”

The clash with Leicester will not be the first time Slot has come up against a team managed by Van Nistelrooy, with the former Manchester United forward having been in charge of PSV Eindhoven while Slot was head coach of Feyenoord in the Eredivisie.

The Liverpool boss was very complimentary about his countryman when asked to assess his managerial career to date.

“Cody Gakpo was in his team [at PSV] so I’m happy that he’s in my team now when we face Ruud,” he said.

“Ruud is a very nice person, first of all. I met him once or twice and I think he did really well when he was at PSV because, for the last one-and-a-half years, they’ve been on top of the league table but if you look at the second half of Ruud’s season, I think they didn’t even lose any games at all.

“When he was working there, Cody Gakpo and Noni Madueke were sold. But he still showed that he could compete for the title. Nice person, good manager, did well at United as well. I’m looking forward to seeing him, especially if we win.”

Football’s Christmas rush in England will soon give way to frenzied transfer talk as the January window opens. Premier League clubs will be hoping for a signing or two to get them challenging for titles and trophies, qualifying for a spot in a European competition or perhaps avoiding the relegation drop at the end of the season.

But it is a difficult market. Unless clubs break the bank for established stars, only players who are surplus to requirements are likely to be available.

So, against that backdrop, who is the one player each Premier League player should sign in the January transfer window? Here are my suggestions.

Arsenal

Viktor Gyökeres of Portugal‘s Sporting CP has scored 47 goals in 47 league games since joining from Coventry City in 2023, and in November he netted a hat trick in the Champions League against Manchester City. The striker might be the missing piece in the Gunners’ trophy-chasing jigsaw puzzle, though his signature would surely cost around £60m.

Aston Villa

Central midfield is becoming a problem. Would Villa be tempted to bring back Douglas Luiz, who has had a difficult time since moving to Juventus? Sunderland’s Jobe Bellingham is on their radar, too.

Bournemouth

Some extra cover in defence would come in handy, and a loan move for someone like Chelsea‘s excellent teenager Josh Acheampong would suit all parties. Judging by his composure on the ball and his recent European debut, Acheampong is already good enough for the Premier League.

Brentford

Thomas Frank’s team are having a fine season, but left-back is a possible weak spot. The possible solution? Callum Doyle, on loan at Norwich from Man City, is a tall, talented natural left-footer who helped Leicester to promotion last season. He’d give Brentford better balance until Rico Henry returns from long-term injury.

Brighton

To help shore up a leaky defense, Brighton could consider signing Andreas Christensen. Barcelona are open to offers for him, and as an ex-Chelsea man, he’d be oven-ready for the Premier League.

Chelsea

Manager Enzo Maresca has a well-stocked squad, but the club like the look of Ipswich striker Liam Delap. It’s easy to see why. The 21-year-old forward fits the Blues’ model of signing young talent. The question is whether he would enjoy being Nicolas Jackson‘s understudy at Stamford Bridge.

Crystal Palace

The club are likely to lose centre-back Marc Guéhi sooner or later, so they need to start thinking about a replacement. Southampton‘s almost-certain relegation would surely mean central defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis could be available.

Everton

The Toffees are desperate for one thing: goals. They should consider asking Norwich if the Championship’s 15-goal top scorer Borja Sainz is available. His dynamism would add some spark to a struggling attack.

Fulham

In the middle of a wonderful season, Fulham might want to add depth to the squad. They are reportedly closing in on a loan deal for young Brighton striker Evan Ferguson to improve their options up front. However, they might also wish to scout the likes of West Brom striker Josh Maja or Barca’s Ansu Fati for additional help.

Ipswich Town

Goalkeeper Arijanet Muric is making too many mistakes, and a team fighting relegation can’t afford to be handing out gifts. A decent target would be Luton’s Thomas Kaminski, who looked the part in the Premier League last season.

Leicester City

With a defence that allows too many chances, Leicester have an obvious interest in Barcelona’s Christensen, but I wonder if Brighton would listen to offers for centre-back Lewis Dunk. Tottenham’s Ben Davies is the type of experienced defender who could help Leicester stay above the relegation zone.

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Liverpool

Despite the departure of Jurgen Klopp, new manager Arne Slot has Liverpool on top of the league with strong performances week-in and week-out. Of course, it never hurts to have a bit of cover for your squad, and with doubts over whether Mo Salah will re-sign, the Reds might consider a deal for Brighton’s Joao Pedro, a proven scorer who can play anywhere across the front with grace and pace.

Manchester City

The club’s worst run in 14 years has underlined the need for a significant rebuild. The injured Rodri has been badly missed, so a defensive midfield anchor is the No. 1 priority, though City might make three signings. Real Sociedad’s Martín Zubimendi could be a target — he rebuffed Liverpool‘s advances in the summer only to recommit to his LaLiga side — but even better would be Joshua Kimmich, who is out of contract at Bayern in the summer. City are also big admirers of Newcastle’s Bruno Guimarães.

Manchester United

Fulham fans will hate the very suggestion, but their superb left-back Antonee Robinson would be a perfect fit for Ruben Amorim’s preferred 3-4-3 formation. As a wing-back, the United States international would dash forward with Olympian speed to set up chances.

Newcastle

Foiled at every turn in the summer transfer window, the Toon have long been trying to sign a right winger, even though Jacob Murphy sometimes fills the role well. Manager Eddie Howe would love to sign someone as good as Dutch international Xavi Simons, on loan at RB Leipzig, or Jeremie Frimpong, who was such a big factor in Bayer Leverkusen‘s title win last season. More affordable transfer options might be Plymouth’s Morgan Whittaker or Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, on loan to Sheffield United from Crystal Palace.

Nottingham Forest

They’re having a stellar season but might want some insurance in case of injuries. I think they should consider the versatile Ethan Ampadu at Leeds — he can play defence or central midfield — or Leverkusen centre-back Edmond Tapsoba. Forest are also looking at former Everton defender Ben Godfrey, who is out of favor at Atalanta.

Southampton

The Saints look doomed to relegation, so Ivan Juric has his work cut out after replacing the sacked Russell Martin. They should be realistic, though, and put the emphasis on players who will help win them promotion next season. Coventry’s fine midfield man Ben Sheaf would fit the bill, as would QPR’s Sam Field.

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Tottenham

Spurs have never really replaced Luka Modric or a peak Christian Eriksen in the creative department, and they might have got wind of the fact that Barcelona’s money problems might mean Dani Olmo — such a star at the Euros — could conceivably be available. Signing a veteran such as Koke, no longer an automatic pick at Atlético Madrid, could be worth an enquiry if they are to better anchor the midfield.

West Ham

The Hammers are having a disappointing campaign despite splashing the cash in the summer. The midfield lacks pace and drive. Jobe Bellingham, Jude’s brother, is on the radar of several clubs and could pep up the Hammers’ pedestrian midfield efforts.

Wolves

A defence that has conceded a league-high 40 goals needs plugging and organizing. Manchester United veteran defender Jonny Evans is perhaps the kind of man they need for the job, but whether he would leave United for a big relegation fight is doubtful. Signing Ben Godfrey (see Forest) is also part of the conversation.