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After starring in the battering of Real Valladolid on Sunday, the French striker is in top form ahead of Wednesday's Clasico in the Copa del Rey

It didn't take long for Karim Benzema to prove that he was back to his best. The Real Madrid striker had spent the first 25 minutes of his side's La Liga clash with Real Valladolid doing all of the Benzema things. He dropped into space, made runs into the right areas, and linked up with the midfielders.

Then, the Ballon d'Or-winning side of Benzema's game showed up.

His first goal was a striker's dart and header at the far post; his second a curled effort from outside the box; and the third was outrageous, a contortion of his ageing frame to flick a ball that was two yards behind him into the far corner.

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In exactly six minutes and 32 seconds, Benzema had come alive and secured himself the match ball.

And at the right time, too. His quickfire treble came just over 72 hours before Madrid's Copa del Rey semi-final Clasico, a game in which Los Blancos have to overturn a 1-0 aggregate deficit to book their place in the final against Osasuna.

In such a massive fixture, an in-form Benzema is the last thing Barcelona want to see — he is the key in sending Madrid to the final.

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  An inconsistent campaign

  An in-form Benzema has an aura of inevitability about him — all the great strikers do.

  It was what made him the world's best last year. In contests when Madrid seemed to be dead and buried — such as against Machester City and PSG in the Champions League — Benzema would strike. There was a fear surrounding him. You didn't know how or when Benzema would score. He just did.

  And it was this time of year when the Frenchman really got going. He scored 12 goals in his last 11 games from April 2 onwards.

  He bagged a hat-trick at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League quarter-finals, two at the Etihad Stadium in the first leg of the semi-final, and a third at Santiago Bernabeu to seal a place in the final.

  There was a handsome tally of league strikes, too, but knockout Benzema was a different kind of footballer. Indeed, when Madrid were seemingly on the way out of major competitions, he always seemed to deliver. It is rare that a player could be so consistent on a weekly basis yet so clutch when the pressure is on.

  From facing La Liga defeats to being on the verge of Champions League elimination, he kept on delivering at the right time.

  But those moments have become less frequent this season. There have been a number of games in which Benzema has been on the pitch, but unable to save his side. This is acceptable, of course, but shows perhaps a touch of humanity for a player who turned 35 in December.

  Benzema is scoring goals at a comparable rate, but the way he went about things on the pitch last season was radically different. He still does some of same things – the signature runs and the link ups with Vincius Jr – but that end product hasn't always been there.

  He missed chances against Real Betis. He was toothless against Barcelona. This player, often the epitome of unselfishness among elite strikers, had begun to look fallible.

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  Injury issues

  A series of nagging knocks certainly hasn't helped. Benzema has managed to stay relatively free of serious injuries in recent years, but this season, the odd ailment has cropped up. He has dealt with a hamstring problem, a hip flexor pull, and the general fatigue that comes with age.

  This is perhaps all understandable for a 35-year-old coming off an exhaustingly successful season. But for the best in the world, it's of slight concern.

  Indeed, for so many before him, the knocks that crop up in the mid-30s can be a sign of the decline to come. It wasn't a time to smash the panic button, but it will have raised a few eyebrows.

  Benzema isn't helped by the fact that Madrid lack a back-up striker. Brazilian Rodrygo has been charged as playing as a No.9 in his absence, but is more comfortable as an attacking midfielder or winger. Youngster Alvaro Rodriguez has shown potential, but isn't experienced enough to lead the line — especially in big games.

  At times, then, Benzema has been thrown into contests despite lacking match fitness.

  And a look at those patches in which Benzema has been forced to play numerous games in a row suggests his body is holding him back somewhat. Benzema went three matches without scoring — and missed some big chances — in a stretch at the end of February, for example.

  Madrid failed to win any of them, and only scored once. Incidentally, it's that patch that saw Barcelona open their La Liga lead to an unassailable double digits.

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  The France fallout

  In mid-November of 2022, Benzema showed up to France's World Cup camp in an entirely normal way. He posed for the photos for the team's social media channels, and was pictured laughing with his team-mates. Everything about his return was distinctly average.

  It was of little concern that he'd been struggling with an odd muscle problem. This was the World Cup, a tournament that France were among the favourites to win. Benzema, facing perhaps his last international tournament, would figure it out.

  Then, France revealed the player had picked up a thigh injury. And very quickly, Benzema's World Cup was done. An odd few weeks ensued, with strange narratives about Benzema's refusal to play for the side, and manager Didier Deschamps forcing him out of the picture.

  Exactly how it played out is rendered irrelevant by what happened next. Benzema effectively got six weeks off, and returned with seven goals in his first seven fixtures after the World Cup. Whether an appetite for revenge or the benefit of a rest, the break had brought Benzema back.

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  A much needed rest

  And Benzema finds himself in a similar situation now. He has since retired from France duty, the differences between him and Deschamps seemingly irreconcilable. That did mean, though, that the striker was able to rest and train while his former France colleagues won their first two Euro 2024 qualifiers over the past fortnight.

  The version of Benzema that returned to action evoked memories of last year's. His seven-minute hat-trick was a tiny spell in one of his best showings of the year.

  He had five shots on target, created an additional big chance, and finished the game with an almost perfect match rating. Manager Carlo Ancelotti withdrew him after 64 minutes, and Benzema received a rousing reception as he left the pitch.

  And although Benzema looked predictably displeased to be removed from a Real rout, his showing could hardly have been more perfect. Not only did he show flashes of being at his Ballon d'Or-winning best, he also got to sit out for 25 minutes, and avoid the fatigue of an additional stretch of running.

Jordan Rhodes’ recent form has presented Sheffield Wednesday with a fresh problem.

The Owls’ club-record £8m signing is out of contract in the summer and after scoring the most goals since Darren Moore’s appointment, he looks to finally be finding his goalscoring boots once again.

A lot of his Hillsborough career has been forgettable.

Indeed, the 31-year-old talisman, who is just eight more strikes from becoming the Championship’s all-time record holder, has only scored 19 goals in 103 appearances for the club – he joined in February 2017.

In that time, he’s even had a stint away on loan to Norwich, helping the club to the league title. Canaries boss Daniel Farke dubbed Rhodes “the most special, unique guy I’ve worked with,” so clearly he left an impression.

Moore is clearly a fan of his, having worked with him at Blackburn Rovers in the past, too. The 46-year-old lauded the Scotsman in his very first press conference, he said (via YorkshireLive):

“Jordan is a good striker. He can finish and we don’t doubt that finishing ability.

“There’s plenty more football left in Jordan. There’s a wonderful talent if we are looking at him as an isolated figure.

“He’s a goalscorer, and he knows where the back of the net is.”

To make the situation worse, this sudden upturn in form has coincided in interest ahead of the summer transfer window, and local rivals Huddersfield Town are among the teams keen to land him.

That move would make a ton of sense given the Terriers’ lack of striking options, but the Owls simply cannot let that happen. Instead, Dejphon Chansiri must offer all he can do to keep hold of him.

His brace against Barnsley last time out was atypical for a poacher – a deft, well-placed header, and neat, calm finish. Speaking after the match, the smiling £810k-rated forward spoke about his mood at the club. He said (via YorkshireLive):

“I feel like I’m playing with a smile on my face, and I’m really enjoying it. It’s nice to be out there and it’s nice to be wanted again. I’m doing my best.”

If that’s the case, then Rhodes is happy at Wednesday, happy under Moore and perhaps would accept an extension. If the former West Brom coach is to be the long-term manager here, then he ought to get to keep his goalscoring talisman.

Chansiri must tie the 14-time international down before it’s too late. He cannot leave for Huddersfield, that’s for sure.

AND in other news, Sheffield Wednesday handed fresh injury boost…

With the quarter-final line up now complete, GOAL runs down the most likely contenders to lift the European Cup in Istanbul later this year

"The Champioooooooooons!" Even if you don't know every word, you definitely know the final two. Iconic. And as we enter the final months of the season, hearing it blare out at stadiums around Europe makes hairs stand up on their end.

The last 16 is over, with defending champions Real Madrid through to the quarter-finals alongside seven other teams as the battle to lift the European Cup rages on.

But which teams now look most likely to triumph in Istanbul in June? Let GOAL's Power Rankings break it all down…

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  8AC Milan

  Milan did not have to perform that impressively to see off a disappointing Tottenham in the last 16, but credit to the Rossoneri for keeping clean sheets in both legs against the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min.

  That defence, along with Mike Maignan behind them, will have to step up once again if the Italian champions are to progress much further in the competition.

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  7Inter

  Like their city rivals, Inter relied on defensive stability to get the job done against Porto, as Romelu Lukaku's late goal in the first leg of the tie proved decisive in the end.

  Simone Inzaghi has earned a reputation as a cup specialist in recent years, but that is likely to be put to its biggest test once the quarter-final draw is made.

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  6Benfica

  Benfica were right to be rewarded for topping a group containing PSG and Juventus, and they made light work of the weakest team in the last 16, Club Brugge, winning 7-1 on aggregate.

  Roger Schmidt's team have played some of the most dynamic football in this season's competition to date, but with the level of the opposition set to make a huge leap, can they keep that style up against Europe's most complete teams?

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  5Chelsea

  Was Chelsea's win over Borussia Dortmund the moment that Graham Potter's reign truly began at Stamford Bridge? Time will tell, but the early signs are good in terms of the Blues being competitive once more.

  Likely needing to win the Champions League to ensure qualification for the competition next season, Chelsea profile as a dangerous and highly-motivated dark horse to now go all the way.

The Egyptian scored twice to seal a 2-1 win for the Reds that moves them right back into the race for a top-four finish

Right then, is the game which finally gets Liverpool's Premier League season going? The Reds have their first away win of the league campaign, and a huge one too, as Mohamed Salah’s first-half brace saw them beat rivals Tottenham on a day when defeat may well have spelt the end of their hopes of a top-four finish.

Instead, Jurgen Klopp’s side move to within seven points of Spurs, who occupy fourth spot. Liverpool also have a game in hand, and had been buoyed earlier in the day by defeats for fellow Champions League hopefuls Chelsea and Manchester United.

Most importantly for Klopp were signs that the spirit and courage of his side, questioned regularly during the opening weeks of the campaign, is starting to return. Salah’s brilliance gave them control of the game, but they had to dig deep after half-time, and were hanging on at times after Harry Kane reduced the deficit 20 minutes from the end.

Hang on they did, though, and they know a win at home to struggling Southampton next week would ensure a far more positive mood at Anfield heading into the break for the World Cup.

Light at the end of the tunnel? Maybe, just maybe.

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  The Winners

  Mohamed Salah:

  How's that for a big contribution in a big game? When Liverpool needed a hero, the man who delivers so often for them delivered again. Salah's first-half double, both goals clinically taken, gave Klopp's side a lead they would hold on to for dear life, and showed, once again, why the Egyptian is still the Reds' best and most decisive player. He has 14 goals in all competitions this season, and he had ice in his veins as he twice left Hugo Lloris and the Spurs defence stranded before half-time. His first was an instinctive strike from Darwin Nunez's pass, fired low and hard before the goalkeeper could react. His second was a lovely dinked finish, after Eric Dier had made a pig's ear of a back header. And throughout, there were moments of pure class as the 30-year-old continually bought his side time and got them up the field when the pressure was mounting. He might have completed his hat-trick, but didn't get hold of an effort from another Nunez pass. By the time he was replaced in stoppage time by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the away end was singing his name. No wonder. Mohamed Salah, Liverpool's match-winner, again.

  Darwin Nunez:

  Another game, another perfect encapsulation of why Liverpool fans have fallen in love with their new £64m ($72m) centre-forward. Nunez didn't actually play as a centre-forward here. Not to begin with, anyway. He started out on the left, and it looked an inspired call by Jurgen Klopp as the Uruguayan tore into Spurs from the first whistle. He tested Lloris with a stinging volley inside three minutes, curled another effort just wide soon after before setting up Salah for the opener with an astute pass having gathered Andy Robertson's low cross. Nunez created another chance for Salah after the break and finished, again, having taken more shots than anyone else on the field. He didn't score this time, but boy did he graft for his team, popping up at left back and right wing, competing for everything and showing plenty of quality. He earned his hug from Klopp, and his ovation from the travelling Kop.

  Ibrahima Konate:

  How different could Liverpool's season look had Konate not damaged his knee on the eve of the campaign? The Frenchman is making a huge difference to Klopp's defence, and he was immense again here, delivering a mammoth performance alongside Virgil van Dijk as the Reds protected their precious advantage in the second half. Konate's pace and strength make him a huge asset next to Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was targeted relentlessly by Spurs' switches of play, but it was the 23-year-old's positional play which stood out here. Time and again, he was in the right place at the right time. He made twice as many clearances as anyone else on the field, and won possession back more times than any other Liverpool player. Tottenham tested him, but even in stoppage time there he was, stretching at the near post to get a vital touch to yet another left-wing delivery. He probably won't be at the World Cup, which is a shame given his quality, but Liverpool will be glad to wrap him in cotton wool while the rest go through the ringer in Qatar. Konate is Van Dijk's partner, now and in the future.

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  The Losers

  Eric Dier:

  Oh dear, Dier. What was he thinking? There was little danger as Alisson Becker launched a long, straight clearance right onto the head of Tottenham's right-sided centre-back, but the England international made an absolute mess of his attempted back-header, and with Salah about that is a fatal error to make. Dier did try to make amends thereafter, stepping forward regularly after half-time, but when he got his head on Ivan Perisic's corner, Alisson was equal to it, and the Liverpool goalkeeper then turned over the Spurs man's mis-hit cross. Thursday sees the announcement of Gareth Southgate's 26-man squad for the World Cup. Dier will be in it, but whether that says more about him or the dearth of centre-back options at England's disposal, we'll leave for you to judge…

  Emerson Royal:

  Dier wasn't the only Spurs man to have a nightmare on the day, with Emerson Royal targeted by the home fans after delivering a haphazard performance at right wing back. His substitution for Matt Doherty, midway through the second half, drew the loudest cheers of the day to that point. Moments earlier, the Brazilian had horrendously overhit an attempted cross from wide on the right, which kind of summed up his afternoon. It is hard to imagine he'll be starting against Leeds next week.

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  Liverpool Ratings: Defence

  Alisson Becker (7/10):

  Got away with one spill from Hojbjerg in the first half. Kick led to Salah's second goal. Got away with one moment of hesitation on the ball and was well beaten by Kane. Safe hands when needed.

  Trent Alexander-Arnold (7/10):

  Some of the most sweetly-struck passes you could ever wish to see, mixed with some scary moments defensively. Targeted by Spurs' relentless crossfield balls and had a tough test. Stood up to it for the most part.

  Ibrahima Konate (8/10):

  Outstanding. Was so often in the right place at the right time. Is making a huge difference.

  Virgil van Dijk (7/10):

  Controlled Kane well until Kulusevski came on. Got his head on a few crosses late on which helped his side hang on for the win.

  Andy Robertson (8/10):

  Prominent early and linked up well with Nunez. Showed remarkable energy levels throughout.

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  Midfield

  Fabinho (7/10):

  Much better. Was strong and used the ball well. Had a tough time in the last half hour but this was a better performance.

  Thiago Alcantara (6/10):

  Helped Liverpool play through the thirds well in the first half, but was too casual in the second and looked heavy legged.

  Harvey Elliott (7/10):

  Sure of touch and non-stop work ethic. More than held his own in a super-intense contest.

From Robert Lewandowski to Erling Haaland and Karim Benzema, GOAL rounds up Europe's top scorers in the 2021-22 season

See the 2022-23 European Golden Shoe list here

The 2021-22 Golden Shoe was fiercely contested, as star strikers from across Europe battled it out to earn the honour of being the continent's top scorer. Robert Lewandowski came out on top with 35 goals, retaining the prize he won the season before.

The Polish striker fended off competition from the likes of Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema among others to clinch the accolade.

GOAL tallies up all the top goalscorers from across Europe's top leagues in 2021-22.

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  1Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich | 35 goals (70)

  Robert Lewandowski seems to go from strength to strength at Bayern Munich and, even at the age of 33, is showing no signs of slowing down. The striker is the defending holder of the European Golden Shoe and could very well win it two years in a row. He hit the ground running during the start of the 2021-22 Bundesliga campaign and has maintained momentum through the season.

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  2Kylian Mbappe | PSG | 28 goals (56)

  Kylian Mbappe struck 27 goals in Ligue 1 last season and now has the added assistance of Lionel Messi to tee him up at Paris Saint-Germain. The France star endured a slow start to the campaign, but will undoubtedly expect to be there or thereabouts when it comes to the end of the season.

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  3Karim Benzema | Real Madrid | 27 goals (54)

  This season has been one for the marked resurgence of Karim Benzema, with the Real Madrid veteran still proving an enormous asset to his team. After a productive summer with France during Euro 2020, Benzema has continued his form for Los Blancos, scoring a hat-trick against Celta Vigo and now a double against Mallorca.

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  4Ciro Immobile | Lazio | 27 goals (54)

  Lazio star Ciro Immobile scored a whopping 20 goals in Serie A last season as they finished sixth in the table, and will no doubt try to best his record. Now a European Championship winner with Italy, the striker will be eager to push for a higher finish in Serie A this year.

Goal takes a look at 10 Arsenal stars who never hit the same heights after leaving the Gunners.

When Kieran Gibbs left Arsenal for West Brom after spending over 11 seasons at the club, he remarked that he would learn how to improve defensively at his new team. Arsene Wenger was asked about those comments shortly after and made an apt statement which has rung true of several players after they departed north London for pastures new.

“Once someone takes the decision to leave I wish them well and focus on my squad, but just look at the performances of the players who left us and then come back to me about it,” he said in 2017.

Goal takes a look at 10 Arsenal stars who never hit the same heights after leaving the Gunners.

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  Emmanuel Petit

  Petit joined Arsenal from Monaco in 1997 after working with Wenger when the Frenchman was manager of the Ligue 1 side. The magnificent partnership between Petit and Patrick Vieira saw him make 85 appearances in three years before deciding to join Barcelona in the summer of 2000.

  However, an injury-plagued spell coupled with poor performances saw him eventually return to the Premier League with Chelsea. Three seasons later, Petit retired from professional football.

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  Alex Song

  Arsenal's search for a defensive midfielder was eventually narrowed down to Cameroonian star Song. He initially struggled at the heart of the Gunners midfield before being sent on loan to Charlton where he honed his defensive qualities.

  In the 2011/12 season he formed an exquisite partnership with Robin van Persie when he recorded 13 assists. 

  At the end of the season he joined Barcelona but struggled to get past Sergio Busquets in the team. 

  Following two disappointing campaigns with Barcelona he had mixed spells at West Ham and Russian side Rubin Kazan. He now plays for FC Sion in the Swiss Super League.

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  Patrick Vieira

  Vieira won three Premier League trophies and four FA Cup titles during his nine-year stay at Arsenal, captaining the club through the 49-game unbeaten season and making over 400 appearances for the Gunners.

  He left for Juventus in July 2005 after Wenger accepted that he would need to let the Frenchman go in order for Cesc Fabregas to become the new mainstay of Arsenal's midfield.

  Interestingly, Vieira returned to Highbury a year later when Juventus faced Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and was culpable for one of Arsenal's goals after Robert Pires tackled him and helped set up Fabregas to score.

  Spells at Inter and Manchester City followed but Vieira's quality began to diminish towards the latter stages of his career.

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  Alexander Hleb

  An exciting pass master with the ability to create something out of nothing, Hleb was part of an impressive Arsenal team which almost won the Premier League in the 2007/08 season.

  When Barcelona came calling the Belarusian couldn't say no – but it was a decision that he came to regret as he failed to impress at Camp Nou.

  “At some point, I realised, ‘Oh God! I’m leaving Arsenal!’ When Arsene said that it was a matter of hours, I felt devastated. It was really hard for me to accept. He even texted me as I was fishing. ‘Alex, I won’t let you go, we need you here’. I cried when I read it.”

  Hleb has since admitted that he regrets ever leaving Arsenal. Three loan spells with Stuttgart, Birmingham and Wolfsburg later, he is now back in his homeland playing for BATE Borisov.

Football is a game played by fathers and sons the world over, but few of them have had successful careers at the professional level

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  PIERRE & PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG

  Arsenal's record signing comes from a footballing family, with father Pierre Aubameyang featuring 80 times for Gabon between 1985 and 1998 while playing for various clubs in France. All three of Pierre's sons are Gabon internationals, with Catalina and Willy both playing in defence and Pierre-Emerick regarded as one of the world's best forwards.

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  IAN WRIGHT & SHAUN & BRADLEY

  An Arsenal legend who played in the 1997-98 Premier League winning side, Ian Wright played 33 times for England. His eldest son Shaun, who he adopted with his wife at the age of eight, picked up three more caps than his father and played for Manchester City and Chelsea, while Bradley also played for City and now is one of the biggest names in Major League Soccer, twice winning the Golden Boot.

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  ARNOR & EIDUR GUDJOHNSEN

  Notably, the only father and son to play in the same international fixture, Arnor and Eidur Gudjohnsen never actually were on the field at the same time as the younger family member came on as a substitute for his father against Estonia in 1996. Both are extremely popular in their home country and have each been named as the Icelandic Sportsperson of the Year.

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  JEAN & YOURI DJORKAEFF

  Defender Jean Djorkaeff was part of the France squad at the 1966 World Cup and spent time at both PSG and Marseille during his club career. His son Youri was a World Cup winner in 1998 with France and then was on the winning side at Euro 2000. The younger Djorkaeff also lined out for PSG, winning the Cup Winners' Cup with the Paris club before leaving for Inter, where he won the UEFA Cup.

Arsenal's best player has moved to Old Trafford, much to the dismay of both the Gunners and Manchester City, who had been favourites to sign him

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  Winner: Jose Mourinho

  It's been quite the start to the New Year for Jose Mourinho. Having successfully drawn Antonio Conte into an undignified war of words with his customary lack of humility, the Manchester United boss has landed Pep Guardiola's primary January transfer target. 

  Guardiola, of course, fully backed Manchester City's decision to withdraw from the race to sign Alexis Sanchez, having understandably concluded that the Chile international was not sufficiently committed to joining the club, given his sudden interest in earning more money elsewhere. 

  However, Mourinho will not care in the slightest. After being forced to endure so much talk of how everyone wants to play for Pep, the Portuguese will be delighted at having shown the Catalan that both he and United retain the ability to trump their great rivals.

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  Winner: Fernando Felicevich

  As we learned from the farcical fees involved in Paul Pogba's return to Old Trafford in 2016, Manchester United, like so many other clubs, have no issue with heeding to the outrageous demands of avaricious agents. 

  Therefore, it was not in the least bit surprising that the Red Devils were willing to deal with Alexis Sanchez's representative, Fernando Felicevich, who had agreed financial terms with City on behalf of his client, only to then break that accord when it became clear that there was more money to be made at United. 

  Indeed, the total package is now set to surpass the £60m deal that City had agreed with Arsenal last summer, which is staggering when one considers that we are talking about a 29-year-old with no re-sale value.

  Given the source of their considerable wealth, City are hardly in a position to take the moral high ground on such matters but both the club and Guardiola deserve credit for refusing to be drawn into a bidding war by Felicevich. 

  It would be nice if other clubs followed suit and adopted a similarly strong stance against agents but, at the end of the day, City took a stand because they could afford to do so.

  Guardiola ultimately decided that with Gabriel Jesus set to make a quicker-than-expected return from injury, the runaway Premier League leaders did not need to sign Alexis at all costs, particularly as making him their highest-paid player could have destabilised the squad.

  United, by contrast, wanted to make a statement signing and are willing to pay whatever it takes to stop their city rivals from becoming even stronger, even if it meant making another agent even richer. 

  So, while Felicevich has acted with little integrity, he is poised to secure both a transfer and more money for his client.

  In short, he is getting exactly what both he and Alexis wanted and, in the modern game, the bottom line really is all that matters.

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  Winner: Sergio Aguero

  "It's an honour for me to have Aguero under my command," Pep Guardiola enthused earlier this month. "Aguero is the kind of player that in a matter of seconds can score two goals. He is an essential player for us."

  In light of the persistent pursuit of Alexis, Aguero could have been forgiven for querying his manager's definition of the word 'essential', given the Chilean's arrival would have seen him slip to third place in the pecking order at the Etihad, behind both the former Barcelona forward and Gabriel Jesus. 

  As it is, though, Aguero is now in a position to continue strengthening the argument that he should remain City's first-choice centre-forward, even after his young Brazilian team-mate returns from injury. 

  Sunday's trip to Anfield did not go well for Aguero, whose ineffective display contrasted starkly with the exhibition of exuberance by Liverpool counterpart Roberto Firmino at the other end of the field.

  However, the Argentina international has still scored four times in four outings since the turn of the year and now, following the collapse of the Alexis deal, he has even more time as City's undisputed No.9 to prove himself truly essential to the City cause.

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  Loser: Arsene Wenger

  To paraphrase a famous movie quote, you either leave a hero, or hang around long enough to become the villain. This is the sorry fate now facing Arsene Wenger, who runs the risk of ruining his legacy with his gross mismanagement of Arsenal's season. 

  Indeed, for some disgruntled fans, the Frenchman has long since become the cause of the club's problems, not the solution to them. 

  Wenger holds the kind of power at the Emirates that is now almost non-existent anywhere else in football, so he has to take the majority share of the blame for the fact that the Gunners allowed their two best players, Alexis and Mesut Ozil, enter the final year of their respective contracts, thus creating a debilitating air of uncertainty surrounding the club.

  As a result of Wenger's stubbornness and total lack of a contingency plan – which was painfully exposed by the ham-fisted attempt to sign Thomas Lemar before the close of the summer transfer window – Arsenal are now set to lose their main forward to a top-four rival midway through a season which already looks likely to end without qualification for the Champions League.

  Whereas Liverpool were prepared and extremely well remunerated for the loss of Philippe Coutinho, Arsenal are desperately trying to plug the holes on a sinking ship. 

  Indeed, should Arsenal fail to finish in the top four for the second successive season, it is difficult to foresee them reclaiming their position among England's elite any time soon. 

  Wenger has had several chances to bow out on top, with an FA Cup win. Instead, he looks set to leave Arsenal exactly where he found them 22 years ago: languishing in mid-table.

  That would be a sad end for the man responsible for 'The Invincibles'. But, to paraphrase another famous movie quote, if Wenger is looking for the guilty, he need only look into a mirror.

Southampton lost pace in the race for the top four spots in the Premier League as they were beaten 2-0 by Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Saturday night.

The Saints rarely looked like scoring against Brendan Rodgers’ side as they missed Danny Ings up front, but it was perhaps the performance of Kyle Walker-Peters that will have disappointed Ralph Hasenhuttl the most.

The right-back has been superb for the South Coast club since joining on a permanent deal from Tottenham Hotspur during the summer, averaging a solid 7.03 rating for his performances in the Premier League.

For his performance at Leicester, however, the 23-year-old would earn a disappointing 6.44 rating, which was his third-worst rating of the season so far, emphasising that he was nowhere near his best against the Foxes.

During the 90 minutes, the former Spurs man won just eight of his 15 duels, resulting in an overall success rate of just 53%. This is a sharp decline from his last appearance in the 1-0 win against Liverpool, where he won 11/16 duels.

During the game against Leicester, Walker-Peters struggled from a defensive point of view too, as he made no clearances, no interceptions and just one tackle, compared to the seven clearances, one interception and six tackles he made against Liverpool.

It was also a sloppy performance when you consider the defender’s passing against the Foxes, as he gave away possession on 25 occasions, compared to the 12 times he lost the ball against Liverpool.

The Englishman also completed just 31/46 of his attempted passes, resulting in a less than impressive success rate of 67%, which is some way below his season average of 80.7%, emphasising that this was simply not the defender’s night.

To compile his misery, Walker-Peters’ direct opponent winger, Harvey Barnes, would pick up an 8.05 rating for his display, his best rating in any league game this season, as he got the better of the Saints full-back throughout the game before sealing the three points with a late goal.

It is clear that the Saints defender was nowhere near his best against Leicester on Saturday night, which will surely frustrate Hasenhuttl, as it was a huge opportunity for his side to move back into the top-four spots with a win. Hopefully for Walker-Peters and Southampton, this was just a blip on an otherwise impressive season.

And, in other news… 20 touches, 8 passes: Southampton ace badly let Ralph down with an absent display

Marcelo Bielsa has written himself in the history books at Leeds and he needed just one year to do it. The Whites fans have waited an agonising 16 years to return to their rightful place in the Premier League and managers have come and gone trying to force the comeback. Bielsa got the job done with ease.

Last season saw Leeds top the Championship table with an impressive ten point margin over runners up West Brom. After winning an impressive 28 of their 46 games played and losing just nine, the Whites made their grand return to England’s top flight.

Despite their slump in form recently, they started their first season back in the Premier League with huge guts. Their opening match may have been a loss, but they put reigning champions Liverpool to the sword with a 4-3 scoreline. The Reds were able to scrape through, but Leeds didn’t hesitate in showing their strength in attack.

Carlton Palmer spoke to Football FanCast about Bielsa and his clever tactics at Elland Road.

“That’s not a shock that he’s come to the English league and is doing well,” the ex-Leeds man said. “His reputation precedes him. He’s a very good manager and a very good coach.

“And you know what you’ve got to remember when you’re a manager or coach – you can only be a good manager and a good coach if you have the tools to do your job.”

Indeed, Leeds aren’t squeaky clean when it comes to their squad. There’s a lot of kinks that need ironing out before Bielsa can fully re-establish his side as Premier League giants. But with the Argentinian at the hilt, there’s no doubt that the January transfer window will be an interesting one for the Whites.

In other news, Leif Davis could make huge statement with performance against Nicolas Pepe…