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Tottenham Hotspur’s four games in April will all air on Sky Sports, the club have confirmed on their official Twitter account.

Spurs play Brighton & Hove Albion, Huddersfield Town and West Ham United at home, while also travelling to the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City.

And the club have announced that three of those games – Huddersfield, City and the Hammers – will be 12:30 pm kick-offs. The clash with Brighton will start at 4:30 pm.

It remains to be seen whether the home games will be held at Wembley or at the club’s newly-built stadium.

The London Evening Standard reported earlier this week that Spurs are hopeful of playing Brighton on April 6 at their new ground, but the game may well be rescheduled if the Seagulls beat Millwall to reach the FA Cup semi-finals.

The Huddersfield game, the report states, subsequently appears to be the most likely fixture to raise the curtain.

And Spurs fans have reacted to the news of the television picks with cynicism – many believe Sky Sports are trying to air the opening of the new stadium so are hedging their bets, while others are less than enthused about three early kick-offs in a row. Take a look at some of the best reaction below!

David Moyes is sweating on the fitness of star left-back Aaron Cresswell ahead of West Ham United’s clash with Burnley in the Premier League this afternoon…

What’s the latest?

The 31-year-old has been absent since picking up a back problem during the defeat to Manchester City several weeks ago and has recently resumed ‘light’ training but according to the manager, it’ll be “touch and go” if he features today.

“Cress is doing much better, it will be touch and go if he makes it or not,” said the Scot (via the Evening Standard).

“We’ve seen him out and about a little bit and he’s doing a bit more, feeling a bit more mobile than he has been. It would be important if we could get him back, it would help us a lot. We’ll give him every opportunity to try and make it.”

Big setback

Cresswell’s continued absence would be a major blow to the Irons, especially as the injuries are mounting up in defence.

Kurt Zouma was withdrawn in last weekend’s victory over Chelsea and is expected to join fellow centre-back Angelo Ogbonna on the long-term injury list, whilst young full-back Ben Johnson also picked up a problem in the game, and he could miss several games over the festive period.

If the Englishman is also out, then it leaves Moyes very short on options right across the backline. Vladimir Coufal, you’d imagine, would be set to claim his place back at right-back but on the left, it’s a little tricky.

It’s becoming increasingly evident that the Hammers boss does not trust Arthur Masuaku that much defensively but in a back five, where he can bomb up and down the wing, he’s more likely to start.

That is something Moyes also alluded to during his pre-game press conference.

“We certainly lose something in midfield but maybe we might have more midfield players than we do defenders at the moment so Declan is certainly a consideration for that and he can play there as well,” he claimed (via the Evening Standard). “He would give us a lot of pluses if we play at the back, we’d build better.”Rice would only drop back into defence if Moyes opted for a back-three, which would then allow the inclusion of Masuaku, but ideally, you’d think that many around the team would want their trusty and reliable left-back involved.Last season, Cresswell led the squad for creativity, managing a whopping eight assists and 1.6 key passes made per game, via WhoScored. That shows his influence to the side, particularly in the final third, where he is a much better option than the Congolese defender.Therefore, it would be a bitter and crushing blow to not have the 31-year-old back involved after returning to training this week.

AND in other news, Moyes must start West Ham’s “creative spark” over Said Benrahma this afternoon… 

As per Voetbal 24, a transfer update has emerged involving West Ham United and Club Brugges star Hans Vanaken.

The Lowdown: West Ham launch 2020 bid…

Back in the summer window of 2020, the attacking midfield powerhouse was a target for manager David Moyes and GSB with the Irons even lodging a £15 million bid.

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Vanaken himself, speaking to the Daily Mirror, even confirmed that there was an offer from the club in a candid interview – going on to also reveal that he ‘could have signed for West Ham’ and contemplated a move.

Having the opportunity to follow Belgium legends like Kevin de Bruyne and Jan Vertonghen to the Premier League, Vanaken explained it didn’t feel like the logical step given his desire for trophies, but it appears he could now pull a U-turn.

The Latest: West Ham gifted another chance…

As per Voetbal 24, a West Ham transfer ‘no longer seems out of the question’ for the Brugge star given the Irons’ recent success.

Indeed, according to their information, he could reconsider moving to east London after all given Moyes’ side’s involvement in the Europa League and push for a top four place.

The Verdict: Right man?

Coming as a possible alternative to top target Jesse Lingard, would a swoop for Vanaken still be worth the hassle?

Racking up a career tally of 137 goals, the attacker is a consistent goal scorer as well as a threat in the final third – with the 29-year-old even netting three goals and an assist in the Champions League this season (Transfermarkt).

Valued at around £14.4 million by Transfermarkt, you could make the argument that Lingard would still come as a better transfer given there are some suggestions he could leave Man United for just £10 million next month.

Already proven in the Premier League, having enjoyed a prolific spell at West Ham last season, we believe the Red Devils ace should be priotised with Vanaken further down the list.

In other news: ‘Oh my’, ‘Yes yes yes’ – ExWHUemployee’s news on ‘perfect’ striker has fans talking, find out more here.

West Ham United are interested in a deal to bring Aleksandr Golovin to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Sport Witness, who claim that a source close to the AS Monaco attacking midfielder has revealed that both West Ham and Everton are interested in a move for the 25-year-old this month.

The report goes on to state that David Moyes’ side have made contact with the Ligue 1 side regarding a deal for the Russia international, however, it is also claimed that Monaco are unlikely to want to part with Golovin in the current transfer window – with Russian media outlet Championat suggesting the French side would demand a fee of around €50m (£41m) in order to sanction his sale.

Moyes’ next Lingard

Considering just how impressive Golovin has been for Monaco since his £27m move from CSKA Moscow back in 2018, it is easy to see why West Ham would be interested in a move for the attacking midfielder this month.

Indeed, over his 114 appearances for the Ligue 1 side, the £22.5m-rated man has scored 16 goals and registered 22 assists, with arguably his best season for the Monegasques coming over his 21 league outings last season.

In this campaign, the £78k-per-week forward scored five goals, provided nine assists and created nine big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.8 key passes and taking 1.3 shots per game.

These returns saw the player who Jose Mourinho dubbed a “playmaker” earn a rather astonishing seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.31, not only ranking him as Monaco’s best performer in the league, but also as the sixth-best player in the division as a whole.

Indeed, Golovin’s form in this campaign was not dissimilar from that of Jesse Lingard last season, who, over his 16 Premier League appearances while on loan at West Ham, scored nine goals, registered four assists and created three big chances for his teammates, seeing the 29-year-old earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.19.

Furthermore, both the AS Monaco attacking midfielder and the Manchester United man possess impressive positional versatility, with each player more than capable of operating from either flank or in the number 10 role.

As such, should Moyes be able to get a deal over the line for Golovin this winter, the 58-year-old Hammers manager could very much have the club’s next Lingard on his hands for the second half of the season – something that is undoubtedly an extremely exciting prospect for everyone involved with the club.

In other news: West Ham submit Jan offer for “outstanding” £70k-p/w tank, Moyes desperately needs him

A worrying claim has been made regarding the feeling behind the scenes at Newcastle during the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

The Athletic’s Chris Waugh has provided an insight into how the club have felt their month has gone so far, whilst also revealing that they are far from finished ahead of deadline day.

He tweeted: “‘Frustration’ at business had been building behind the scenes, but progression of Bruno Guimaraes deal is very encouraging (let’s hope it gets done). One of several #NUFC are still looking to conclude, with summits in Saudi.”

Fans will be upset

This news will surely leave Newcastle fans feeling upset with the way PIF have handled their first transfer window at the club. They failed to bring in a full-time sporting director or director of football to come in and execute a well thought-out transfer strategy, instead bringing in Nick Hammond on a short-term deal in December to assist Eddie Howe.

Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood are the only signings of the window so far, with just over three days left to go before the window slams shut. The worry now is that the Magpies are scrambling around to complete “several” deals – according to Waugh – near deadline day, and that is not a situation the fans would have wanted at the start of January.

In an ideal world, Newcastle could have appointed a sporting director at the start of December and given them a month to work on a plan ahead of January to then be ready to go all-in during the first few weeks. It could have given Howe and the supporters a major lift to have the bulk of the club’s business done in the first half of the month, rather than rushing to bring players in during the final few days in January.

PIF are now in a position where they do not have time to negotiate and bargain with clubs, and that could lead to them overpaying for players or signing the wrong player because they do not have the time to carefully decide who they want to bring in if other targets are unavailable.

This is why Newcastle fans will be upset with the news that there is frustration behind the scenes, as it suggests that PIF have got it wrong this month. The board are seemingly not happy with the way they have handled the transfer window, and supporters could be frustrated by this due to how important January could be in the battle against relegation.

AND in other news, Howe can finally axe shocking NUFC “nightmare” with “incredible” £100k-p/w monster…

Celtic have initiated talks regarding a deal to bring Cameron Carter-Vickers to Parkhead on a permanent basis.

What’s the talk?

According to recent reports (via The Celtic Bhoys), Ange Postecoglou’s side have started talks with Tottenham Hotspur about making the centre-back’s season-long loan switch a permanent move ahead of the January transfer window.

A previous report by the Daily Record revealed that Celtic have an option-to-buy clause in the 23-year-old’s temporary contract at Parkhead, with £10m reported as the figure that the Bhoys would need to shell out in order to sign the USA international permanently.

However, Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph then claimed in a post on Twitter that the Hoops’ clause to purchase Carter-Vickers is actually £6m.

“Great move”

Considering just how impressive Carter-Vickers has been since his arrival in Glasgow earlier this year, reports that Celtic have initiated talks to sign the defender on a permanent basis are sure to have left Hoops fans buzzing.

Indeed, over his 15 Premiership appearances so far this season, the £1.8m-rated centre-back has helped his side to keep seven clean sheets, scored two goals and provided his teammates with one assist. He has also averaged 1.4 interceptions, 0.7 tackles and 85.2 passes per match – the second-most of any player in the league for the latter – and won 71% of his duels.

These returns have seen the £20k-per-week loanee, who former Spurs team-mate Jan Vertonghen dubbed an “absolute beast”, average a tremendous SofaScore match rating of 7.45, ranking him as the fourth-best performer in the Scottish top flight.

As such, it would very much seem as if Postecoglou’s claim that Celtic’s signing of the defender was a “great move” by the club is bang on the money, while the addition of the 23-year-old on a permanent basis in January would undoubtedly be a very positive one for the future of the Bhoys based on how his loan spell has gone so far.

In other news: Postecoglou drops four-word injury update which will delight Celtic fans

Crystal Palace are set to be without key midfielder James McArthur for an extended period of time after the extent of his injury was revealed.

What’s the word?

The influential 34-year-old missed the 3-3 draw with Burnley last time out after picking up a hamstring problem in training, and the extent of the damage has been revealed by The Athletic’s Matt Woosnam.

He tweeted: “Understand James McArthur is expected to be out for another six weeks with a torn hamstring. His absence will be a significant blow but #CPFC have good options. Inc Will Hughes – yet to play bc injury & form of midfield.”

Crystal Palace fans will be gutted

News that McArthur will miss potentially crucial games against the likes of Aston Villa, Leeds United and Manchester United as the busy festive period approaches will leave the club’s supporters feeling gutted.

Despite his age, the former Scotland international has been a key figure for the capital club this term, starting all 11 Premier League fixtures prior to his fitness woes.

His vast experience in the top-flight has helped provide a calming influence alongside summer signing Conor Gallagher, with the pair forming a formidable partnership in the engine room in the opening weeks of the campaign.

The club’s new manager has also taken a particular liking to him, saying after the win over Wolves: “He’s a fighter, he’s a warrior, he’s the benchmark for a professional. This is the same in training, he is no different.”

However, Vieira and co. will be forced to deal with McArthur’s enforced absence for several weeks due to his latest injury setback.

The likes of Will Hughes, Jeffrey Schlupp and Cheikhou Kouyaté will be eager to step up in the box-to-box dynamo’s absence, but the south London outfit’s fanbase will still be disappointed to lose such an influential player just as they were building some momentum.

And, in other news…Journo drops big claim over Palace “warrior” who Vieira loves, fans will be delighted

Liverpool remain interested in West Ham United star Jarrod Bowen, with the club still following his development at the London Stadium this season.

What’s the story?

The Athletic have claimed that, following their summer interest, the Reds have continued to monitor the winger’s progress as they contemplate making a new signing out wide.

He was superb vs Liverpool

During his time at Hull City, Bowen was labelled an “unplayable” attacker by his then-manager Grant McCann, and he lived up to that billing and more with a superb individual display in the 3-2 victory over Liverpool back in November.

He set up two goals on the day as West Ham ended the Reds’ impressive unbeaten run, and his underlying stats were equally impressive.

As per Sofascore, he provided two key passes (the joint-most of any Hammer), while he created two official big chances too – the only player to do so in the game.

That’s not to mention he led the team in the number of crosses he put in, was tied second for successful dribbles, and was fouled the second most of any player too – the kind of exciting display which had Andy Robertson tied up in knots.

The Scotland international finished the game with no shots or crosses whatsoever (the mark of someone who had been pinned back for the entire match), made no tackles or interceptions, and won just the one duel over the course of the 90 minutes.

Writing in his post-match player ratings for The Liverpool Echo, Ian Doyle gave him a four, saying: “Plenty of overlapping down the left flank but delivery first half was inconsistent and had an absolute stinker second half.”

In fact, speaking before the game in his pre-match press conference, Klopp himself said: “I like Bowen a lot. He made his way up from Hull and took not too long to show exactly what kind of player he can be in the Premier League. He made big steps.”

He has scored six goals and provided nine assists in just 22 appearances in the Premier League, while he ranks as the Hammers’ best performing player with an average WhoScored match rating of 7.27.

The £31.5m-rated star could be a superb signing for Klopp’s side.

Meanwhile, James Pearce has dropped a Liverpool transfer update…

West Ham didn’t add any new signings to their side in January but David Moyes will surely be hoping to make up for it this summer as the Hammers push on again for a place in European football as news of a potential transfer target emerges.

What’s the word?

According to The Telegraph, West Ham are plotting a bid for Mainz captain Moussa Niakhate and could snap up the centre-back for just £8m in the summer.

Mainz reportedly do not want to lose the 26-year-old on a free transfer when his contract expires in 2023, so would be interested in accepting a lower fee this summer to cash in on him.

The East London club joins two other Premier League clubs in the pursuit for the Frenchman’s signature, as Newcastle United and Everton are also linked in the report.

Diop replacement

West Ham supporters will surely be delighted that the club is linked with a new player to freshen up the defensive line after an abject season from Issa Diop, and they will be even more thrilled about replacing their current defender with Niakhate when you compare their output this season.

According to Squawka, the 26-year-old defender, who was hailed “ambitious” by Mainz manager Bo Svensson, has also been highly effective in offensive play with three more goals and ten more chances created than the current West Ham centre-back who was labelled “poor” by Ian Wright this season.

It’s also evident that he is well-oiled machine in defence, registering numbers that eclipse far and away what Diop can produce.

With the Europa League trophy and an outside chance of stealing the fourth spot in the Premier League table to qualify for Champions League still in sight, it was thought Moyes might have added some depth to his squad in the winter transfer window, but clearly the club felt that they could progress without new additions.

The recent success for West Ham in finishing higher in the league, and their continued efforts to become a force in the Europa League will surely mean that adding to and upgrading on their current options will be a priority this summer, and Niakhate could be a great place to start for the side.

In other news: WHU may end up signing “electric” £50m gem this summer, he can finally replace Haller

Transfers are never guaranteed to work out in football and failed deals have stung Sunderland more than most in recent years.

The Black Cats suffered back-to-back relegations from the Premier League and the Championship to end up in League One in 2017, as they were unable to bring in the players they needed to avoid the drop on both occasions.

However, they have also made some excellent decisions in the transfer market over the years and deserve credit where it’s due.

Blinder on Wickham

One player the club managed to pull a blinder with was centre-forward Connor Wickham, as Dick Advocaat sold him to Crystal Palace for £9m (Transfermarkt) in 2015.

The Black Cats brought him in from Ipswich for £8.1m in 2011 and he scored 15 goals and provided four assists in 91 outings for the side. This included ten Premier League goals in his last two top-flight campaigns, scoring five in 15 and five in 36 before leaving for Selhurst Park.

Sunderland got almost 100 games of service and a number of Premier League goals out of him before making a, albeit small, profit on him. Whilst this is evidence enough to suggest that it was a good deal by the club, what has happened to Wickham since leaving has proven that they played a blinder with his sale.

His career has flopped as he only played 50 times in six seasons for Palace. After playing 21 Premier League matches in his first campaign for the club, he never made more than eight in another season for the Eagles as he scored three league goals in his final three years in London.

He ended his disastrous spell by leaving on a free transfer in the summer of 2021. Championship Preston then picked him up for nothing later that year before landing at his current destination – MK Dons.

The 6 foot 3 forward, who journalist Dom Howson previously dubbed a “unit”, has beaten the goalkeeper only once in nine League One outings for the Buckinghamshire side after joining on a free transfer from Preston, as he has failed to get himself back on track.

The Athletic previously ran a story explaining when players typically peak in each position and for centre-forwards it is said to be around the age of 27, heading into their 30’s. Thus, with Wickham now 29, it’s obvious things haven’t turned out well for him.

Instead of finding his best form, Wickham’s stock is now at the lowest point of his entire career. At the time of writing (28/03/22), Transfermarkt value him at a measly £720k, which is significantly lower than the £9m Sunderland received from Palace for his signature. It is also lower than the £900k he was valued at whilst playing for Ipswich at the age of 16, illustrating just how far he has fallen from grace.

Therefore, Sunderland played a blinder with him as they made a profit on the fee they paid to the Tractor boys and got him out of the door before his career went tumbling downhill.

He failed to fulfil his potential and the Black Cats did not feel the effects of his failure as they cashed in on him at the perfect time.

AND in other news, Forget Defoe: Sunderland must now swoop for teen prodigy with 21 goals in 13 games…