Simone Inzaghi has congratulated Milan and Napoli on joining Inter in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and says it is "a huge step" for Serie A.

Italy's top flight will have three representatives in the last eight of the competition for the first time since the 2005-06 campaign.

With Juventus and Roma also through in the Europa League and Fiorentina progressing in the Europa Conference League, six Italian clubs are through to the quarters of UEFA competitions for the third time ever after the 1998-99 and 1990-91 seasons.

Inzaghi, whose Inter side will face Benfica over two legs in the next round, believes it can only be a good thing for Italian football when their teams hold their own on the continent.

"We all played great games," he said at a press conference on Saturday. "I have to congratulate Milan and Napoli – they deserved it like us. So too did Roma, Juventus and Fiorentina.

"There are six teams through, which is a huge step. Now we must all continue, because the more we go on, the better it is for our country."

Two of Serie A's European representatives face off at San Siro on Sunday in a game that could potentially have huge repercussions in the top-four race.

Second-place Inter are 12 points better off than Juventus in seventh, but the Bianconeri are said to be optimistic about overturning a 15-point deduction imposed on them in January.

That could change the complexion of the higher echelons of Serie A, and Inzaghi hopes a decision is soon made by the authorities one way or another.

"I look at the standings, but we are aware there are legal proceedings ongoing," Inzaghi said. "I hope that we find out soon because the teams need clarity."

Inter have lost three of their past six Serie A matches after their Champions League games, including their last two against Bologna and Juventus in the reverse match.

Juventus, by comparison, have won each of their last six league games after European matches.

"We are thinking only of tomorrow's game," Inzaghi said. "Now that we have obtained qualification, we have this final game of an intense period.

"The players are feeling fatigued and we have injuries, but we intend to not look back and think only of the next game."

Inter lost the reverse fixture against Juve 2-0 and are aiming to avoid losing both games against their Derby d'Italia rivals for the first time since the 2019-20 season.

After coming through part one of a huge week unscathed – albeit with Karim Benzema suffering an injury scare – Real Madrid now turn focus to a huge showdown with fierce rivals Barcelona at Camp Nou.

While the odds were massively stacked in Madrid's favour when protecting a 5-2 lead in their Champions League last-16 tie with Liverpool, going through 6-2 aggregate winners, the opposite is true in their LaLiga title battle with Barca.

Madrid have struggled for consistency domestically and are nine points adrift of the leaders with 12 rounds of games to play after this weekend. Put simply, it is win-or-bust for Los Blancos' outside title hopes.

Carlo Ancelotti's side have a great recent record against their Clasico foes in the league but, regardless of Sunday's result, is it already too late in terms of getting their LaLiga campaign back on track?

Stats Perform looks at how the two sides are shaping up heading into their fourth of five meetings this season, and whether Madrid have any realistic chance of catching Barca.
 

Camp Nou the fortress

Madrid have dropped points too frequently this campaign, particularly away from home. Indeed, they have won just three of their past seven league games outside of the Bernabeu, failing to win back-to-back since October.

Barcelona, by comparison, have won four in a row at Camp Nou without conceding and have taken 32 points from a possible 36 at home this campaign.

Only Paris Saint-Germain can boast a better home record across Europe's top five leagues, collecting three points more than Barca, albeit having played one game more.

On the face of it, then, Los Blancos have their work cut out picking up a point this weekend, never mind the three points they desperately need. 

But Madrid have won five of their past six league games against Barca, including their past two visits to Camp Nou – only once before, between January 1963 and February 1965, have they won three in a row there in the competition.

This Barcelona side is a lot different to the ones Madrid faced in those past two seasons, though, as was clear to see in their two recent cup encounters.

The Catalans claimed a 3-1 win in the Supercopa de Espana final in January and a 1-0 win in their Copa del Rey semi-final first leg two weeks ago, with the second leg at Camp Nou to come in early April.

Those 1-0 wins are something they have become accustomed to in the league, too, with nine of their 21 victories coming by that scoreline – more than they have ever recorded in a full season.

Xavi's side have found a way to break down and see out wins against any type of opponent, and their four-year wait for a league title is surely therefore coming to an end.
 

Madrid far from majestic

Opta's prediction model certainly suggests as much, giving Barca a 93.2 per cent chance of finishing top and Madrid just a 6.7 per cent likelihood of overhauling their great rivals.

However, given the six-point swing on the line on Sunday, those figures could change fairly drastically should the visitors win again at Camp Nou.

That is why this meeting is so important to both Barca and Madrid; effectively the final chance for any sort of jeopardy to be injected into the title tussle between Spain's biggest two clubs.

But not only will Los Blancos have to beat Barca, they will realistically have to string together a long run of wins and require Xavi's men to drop at least six more points. 

On the four occasions Barca have dropped points this season, they have responded with winning streaks of seven, five, seven and two, with this latest run still ongoing. 

Madrid, meanwhile, have not put together a winning run of more than four games in the league since mid-October, losing to the likes of Rayo Vallecano, Real Mallorca and Villarreal since then.
 

So you're telling me there's a chance?

Ancelotti has repeatedly vowed Madrid will fight Barca all the way, while opposite number Xavi has predicted the title race may go the distance.

In the long history of LaLiga, though, no team has ever led by as many as nine points at this stage and not gone on to win the title.

But if Madridistas are after a crumb of comfort, there have been two occasions of a team squandering a lead of six points or more after 26 games, which would be the scenario the sides find themselves in if Madrid win.

One such instance will be all too familiar to those Madrid fans, with their side failing to finish top when eight points clear of eventual champions Valencia in the 2003-04 campaign.

The other occasion was 42 years ago when Real Sociedad, six points behind heading into the final stretch, overtook Atletico Madrid to land the title.

Effectively, then, Madrid must win at the home of their biggest rivals or else they will be tasked with achieving something that has never before happened in the Spanish top flight.

The odds may not be in their favour, but if last season's run to Champions League glory taught us anything, it's that you can never write this Real Madrid side off.

Xabi Alonso and Bayern Munich were once a perfect match, and few would be surprised should they couple up again somewhere down the line.

Yet Alonso could put a dent in Bayern's Bundesliga title prospects on Sunday, when his Bayer Leverkusen side host the 10-in-a-row champions at BayArena.

Six years have passed since Alonso announced he would be retiring as a player at the end of the 2016-17 season, sparking an outpouring of tributes to one of the great midfield artists of his era.

That news, revealed in March 2017, raised the question of 'what next?' for a man who as a player won a World Cup and two European Championships with Spain, Champions League titles with Liverpool and Real Madrid, and would end up with a hat-trick of Bundesliga medals at Bayern.

Suave, sophisticated and wealthy, with a happy family life, would he even need football again?

Only on his terms. What do you give the man who has everything? You give him control.

Stats Perform has looked at the coaching career so far of the 41-year-old Alonso, who might be a Bayern coach of the future but for now is plotting their downfall.

Softly, softly approach pays off

Like his former Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard, Alonso began his coaching education out of the spotlight, at the clubs he knew best.

Where Gerrard started off learning the coaching ropes at Liverpool's academy, Alonso accepted a role with Madrid's Under-14 team in 2018, while polishing off his coaching qualifications.

On June 1, 2019, Alonso stepped away from Madrid to become boss of Real Sociedad B, leading the Basques to promotion to Spain's Segunda Division, their first appearance at that level in 59 years.

Alonso spent three years with that second-string unit, and although they were relegated before he left, La Real noted his "brilliant" spell at the helm in a farewell note at the end of last season.

The club said Alonso had succeeded in "enriching, thanks to his knowledge and involvement, the training and progress of the players of our subsidiary", and pointed to his players successfully progressing through to the first team.

The future was uncertain for Alonso at that point, but only in the sense he would soon have his pick of clubs and would need to choose his pathway.

Bundesliga beckons again

Leverkusen were crushed 4-0 at Bayern in late September of last year, and it proved to be Gerardo Seoane's final Bundesliga game in charge of Die Werkself. They began the season by taking five points from eight league games and were in crisis.

Seoane was sacked and Alonso placed at the helm, telling reporters what had attracted him to his first top-flight coaching role.

He reasoned there was "always a risk" in taking on a new challenge. "But you have to always improve and take steps forward," Alonso added. "I firmly believe that it will work out here and I am fully motivated."

He had previously been presented with "the chance to coach good teams" but waited for the right opportunity, he said, and now he "realised that I'm ready".

Explaining what he would look for from his new team, Alonso urged them to buy into his methods.

"As a former midfielder, I like control," he said.

As graceful as he was in central midfield, Alonso was also a serial winner, and tellingly he had played under some of the great coaches: five years with Rafael Benitez at Liverpool, five years split between Manuel Pellegrini, Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti at Madrid, and two years with Pep Guardiola at Bayern before one last campaign under Ancelotti with the Bavarians.

What an education.

Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes described Alonso as a player who was "an absolute world-class professional for many years, an intelligent strategist and extremely successful in three of the most demanding European leagues".

The message was clear: Leverkusen expected Alonso the coach to match up to Alonso the player. They were confident he was a world-class acquisition.

So far, so good

Guardiola sang the praises of Alonso in the week of his appointment by Leverkusen, saying he was a man who, in terms of understanding the game, "reads perfectly".

Leverkusen sat 17th in the 18-team Bundesliga, far from where they expected to be. They have finished in the top six in each of the last five seasons, and 12 of the last 13 campaigns, so the club's standards are high and were not being met.

After that risible start (W1 D2 L5) under Seoane, Bundesliga results have significantly picked up, with Alonso's haul of 29 points from 16 games (W9 D2 L5) having only been bettered by three teams (Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig) during the course of his reign, heading into this weekend's round of games.

Control, that watchword, is slowly coming. Their possession has inched up from 51.3 per cent for the initial eight games under Seoane to 53.5 per cent over the games bossed by Alonso. Bayern lead the way in possession with 63 per cent, followed by Dortmund (58 per cent). Leverkusen were ninth on the list under Alonso's predecessor but are fifth during his tenure.

Making changes and imposing new ideas in mid-season is far from easy, but Alonso is giving it a good crack.

Leverkusen ranked a distant fourth in open play sequences of 10-plus passes during the opening eight rounds of Bundesliga games, with 68 such sequences compared to leaders Bayern's 142. Under Alonso, Leverkusen have logged 204 such sequences of 10-plus passes in open play possession, which puts them third on the list for the duration of his time in charge.

Having had less than half as many possessional sequences as Bayern in the opening eight games, Leverkusen are now much more comparable, with Bayern leading the way with 274 and Leipzig second with 252.

Alonso's team have gone from an average of 3.31 passes per sequence to 3.77, a marked shift. Long passing success still leaves a little to be desired, with a gradual improvement from 44 to 46 per cent during Alonso's reign still leaving them behind Dortmund (60 per cent) and Bayern (59 per cent).

If only Alonso could be the one spraying such passes, Leverkusen would soon jump up that list. Like fellow great playmakers of years gone by, such as Andrea Pirlo and Glenn Hoddle, it is likely the case that Alonso has wowed players on the training pitch with his passing range, but he would give all that up now to have Leverkusen competing at the top of the Bundesliga.

Bring on Bayern

As it is, Leverkusen are not yet jostling near the summit. That slow start has meant even the major improvement under Alonso has only seen them rise to ninth spot, six points behind sixth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt.

They might still bridge that gap and snatch a European place, but they need to be winning games, so the Bayern game is huge for them, just as it is for Julian Nagelsmann's visitors in their title battle with Dortmund.

Alonso, quoted in the German press after Thursday's Europa League win against Ferencvaros, said there was "no room for emotions" heading into the reunion with his old club.

"I had a great experience at Bayern Munich; I have fond memories of those three years," Alonso said. "Playing against them as a coach for the first time will be nice – and hopefully with a smile for me after the final whistle."

The Seattle Seahawks have added to their talented young secondary with the signing of former New York Giants safety Julian Love.

Love has signed a two-year, $12million deal with Seattle, according to multiple reports, after helping the Giants to the Divisional round of the playoffs last season.

A fourth-round pick of the Giants in 2019, Love enjoyed his best season in 2022, emerging as a valuable and versatile defender.

He intercepted two passes, recorded five pass breakups, six tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble.

His 109 tackles were a career-high by a wide margin, Love's previous best tally having come in 2020 (61).

Used primarily as a deep safety but also deployed in the box and in the slot, Love allowed receivers to get open on 60 per cent of his targets in 2022, the eighth-best ratio among safeties with at least 200 coverage snaps, per Stats Perform data.

He will join a secondary that features one of the NFL's premier safeties in Quandre Diggs and cornerback Tariq Woolen, who recorded a league-leading six interceptions as a rookie last year.

The Seahawks will be hoping Coby Bryant can make further strides after an encouraging rookie year at nickel corner, while Jamal Adams will look to bounce back after tearing his quad in the 2022 season opener. 

With Love's arrival, the Seahawks can claim to have one of the deeper and most talented secondaries in the NFL, which will likely be key as Seattle aim to build on a 9-8 season that ended in a Wild Card round defeat to the San Francisco 49ers.

Miguel Almiron is injured and will be out for three weeks, according to Paraguay coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto.

Almiron is Newcastle United's leading scorer, having netted 11 times in the best season of his Premier League career.

His goals – six of which came in October as he was named the Premier League Player of the Month – have fired Newcastle into top-four contention.

Although Almiron's form has been less impressive in 2023, seeing him dropped last week, he scored a much-needed winner as a substitute against Wolves.

But Newcastle are now set to be without the winger, with Schelotto explaining he had suffered an unspecified setback in Magpies training that would also rule him out of international action.

"Miguel Almiron was injured yesterday and will be out for three weeks," Schelotto told reporters in Paraguay on Friday.

"It is not necessary for him to come [on international duty].

"We received the report from his club, and we saw the video of the injury."

Newcastle, who are already without £45million January signing Anthony Gordon, face Nottingham Forest on Friday before a huge game against Manchester United at the start of next month.

Jacob Murphy was preferred to Almiron against Wolves and is likely to deputise, although he has only two goal involvements in 25 matches this term.

Almiron, who also has a single assist, has scored 30 per cent of Newcastle's Premier League goals in 2022-23 – the highest share by a Magpies player in a single campaign since Loic Remy in 2013-14 (33 per cent).

Newcastle enter the weekend fifth in the table, four points behind fourth-placed Tottenham with two games in hand.

Ireland can make it a glorious farewell to the Six Nations for record-chasing captain Johnny Sexton as they chase a Grand Slam on Saturday, with England their visitors.

It will be Ireland's title and a clean sweep of wins if they get the better of Steve Borthwick's team at the Aviva Stadium, while Sexton's next points will make him the leading scorer in championship history. He stands level for now with former team-mate Ronan O'Gara on 557 points.

Celebrations could already be in full swing in Dublin before kick-off in the unlikely event of Wales upsetting France in Paris earlier in the day.

France are the only team who can deny Ireland Six Nations glory now, trailing by four points going into the final round of matches.

Bonus points could yet be a factor in the final reckoning, but Ireland will be optimistic they can take that out of the equation by getting the better of an England side who were thrashed last week by Les Bleus.

Scotland face Italy in the day's opening game, before attention turns to the race for the trophy.

Here, Stats Perform runs down key aspects to look at in the three games, with the help of some standout Opta data.

FRANCE v WALES

FORM

Fabien Galthie's France team were so impressive at Twickenham last week they brought a tear to the coach's eye. That 53-10 drubbing in London showed France at their best, and they have won each of their last three Six Nations matches against Wales.

The tide has turned in the rivalry, given France had lost seven of the previous eight battles between the sides in the competition. After last year's Grand Slam, France will believe they can ramp up pressure on Ireland by getting the win at the Stade de France, having won nine of their last 10 Six Nations home matches, including each of the last four.

Wales stopped a six-game run of defeats in the Six Nations by beating Italy 29-17 last time out, to the relief of coach Warren Gatland. It was their longest run without a Six Nations victory since a seven-game sequence in 2006 and 2007, when they lost six and drew one.

There are areas where Wales are still doing well. For instance, they have conceded the joint-fewest turnovers of any side in this year's Six Nations (44, level with Ireland), and only Ireland (30) have won more turnovers than Wales (23). However, it would be a surprise if France do not ramp up the pressure on Ireland with a comfortable win and perhaps a bonus point into the bargain.

ONES TO WATCH

France will look to wings Damian Penaud and Ethan Dumortier to trouble Wales. Five players in this year's Six Nations have a 50 per cent or better tackle evasion rate among those who have faced 20 or more attempted tackles, and Penaud (79 per cent) and Dumortier (51 per cent) are among them.

For Wales, Taulupe Faletau will win his 100th cap and become the eighth man to reach that landmark for the team. Veterans George North and Alun Wyn Jones are among those coming into the starting XV, with Gatland giving the old-stagers a chance to potentially sign off their Six Nations careers in style.

IRELAND v ENGLAND

FORM

Ireland have won their last two Six Nations clashes with England, scoring exactly 32 points in each of those games, and the men in green have bagged 13 wins from their last 23 encounters with this weekend's opponents.

After finishing strongly last year, Ireland are on a seven-game winning run in the Six Nations, and an eighth win in a row would be a record for the team.

That would be cause for celebration alongside the Grand Slam, which would be a third for Ireland in the Six Nations era after 2009 and 2018 clean sweeps. They are chasing a fifth Six Nations title in all, and a seventh Triple Crown in this six-team era.

England's defeat to France last time out was their heaviest ever in the championship, so they have recalled Owen Farrell after dropping the captain, as coach Borthwick looks for a major response.

This game could yet be tight. Ireland (37) and England (34) have conceded the fewest penalties in this year's Six Nations, and they have achieved the highest share of territory per game (England – 60 per cent, Ireland – 59 per cent). Something has to give.

ONES TO WATCH

Sexton scored seven points against Scotland last weekend to move level with O'Gara, so his first kick at goal on Saturday will be a big moment. The record has been in his sights since the start of his final Six Nations, and the 37-year-old should clinch it on home soil.

Dan Cole is poised to win his 100th Test cap for England. He starts among the replacements, ready to become just the fourth player to reach a century for the England men’s team, after Jason Leonard, Ben Youngs and captain Farrell.

SCOTLAND v ITALY

FORM

The days of this fixture being a wooden spoon decider are gone for now, with Scotland much improved in recent years. Italy, too, are a stronger side than they have been for a good while, so they will be frustrated to have lost four from four so far.

Scotland have won each of their last seven Six Nations matches against Italy, their longest winning run against any nation in the championship. Their last Six Nations loss to the Azzurri was a 22-19 setback at Murrayfield in 2015, which was Italy's seventh win over the Scots in the championship. Italy have had just six wins against all other teams in the championship combined.

Italy's recent record in the Six Nations is truly dire, losing 40 of their last 41 games, with the exception among those defeats coming on the final weekend of last year's championship, when they won 22-21 in Wales.

ONES TO WATCH

Scotland's Matt Fagerson has made the most tackles of any player in the 2023 championship (70), while team-mates Jonny Gray (37), Jack Dempsey (32) and Luke Crosbie (32) are the only players to have made 30-plus tackles without missing one. Fagerson, Gray and Dempsey feature this weekend. Their prowess could be key as Scotland look to cope without injured backs Finn Russell and Stuart Hogg.

Italy's Juan Ignacio Brex and Paolo Garbisi are two of three players to have provided a championship-high six break assist passes in this year's championship, matching Ireland's Mack Hansen.

Tottenham may only have the Premier League to focus on in the final months of the season, but that is motivation enough for coach Antonio Conte.

Spurs exited the FA Cup and the Champions League in quick succession at the start of March.

It means another season will pass without Tottenham winning silverware, but they still have plenty to play for, fourth in the Premier League and in the final Champions League qualification place heading into Saturday's game at lowly Southampton.

Just being in the Premier League is a challenge that means a great deal to Conte, he explained ahead of the Saints match.

"I think that for sure to play the Premier League, to be a coach in the Premier League means you have to be ready to face a great competition," he said.

"To face important players, important clubs, important coaches... and for this reason, the motivation is really, really high.

"For this reason, you want to be strong, to have a strong team and to try to be competitive."

Conte appears focused again on the task at hand, describing his discussion of potentially being sacked after losing to Milan as "a joke".

"I don't think the club is thinking this," he said.

Opponents Saints have sacked two coaches this season, with Ruben Selles now tasked with keeping them in the top flight.

With an international break following this weekend's action, Selles sees the meeting with Spurs as key.

"I don't want to sit on defeat for one hour, that is what I can tell you," he said. "So, imagine for two weeks.

"I will prepare every game to win the game, to do the best performance we can and to get the best results."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Southampton – James Ward-Prowse

Southampton dominated the possession against Brentford in midweek but attempted only seven shots and one on target.

They need more creativity on the ball so will inevitably turn to captain James Ward-Prowse, who has created more chances both from set plays and in open play than any team-mate this season. He also scored against Tottenham in the reverse fixture.

Tottenham – Richarlison

After announcing his frustration at his limited playing time following Tottenham's Champions League exit, Richarlison looked to have come up with an ideal response when he found the net early against Nottingham Forest.

But his celebrations were for nought due to the tightest of offside calls. He is still without a Premier League goal in 18 games for Tottenham, although he netted five against Southampton for Everton.

MATCH PREDICTION – TOTTENHAM WIN

Expect goals in this one, as Southampton have scored at least once in each of their past 14 Premier League games against Spurs while keeping just one clean sheet in their last 21 against them.

Southampton have won only two of their 10 home league games against Tottenham since returning to the top flight in 2012, with Spurs now aiming to complete a home-and-away double over Saturday's opponents for a seventh time in the Premier League era.

Conte's side will have to snap a four-game losing run away from home in all competitions, but Southampton are winless in 15 games against teams starting the day in the top four of the table.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Tottenham – 54.0 per cent

Southampton – 20.3 per cent

Draw – 25.7 per cent

Though neither has hope of winning the Scudetto this season, history will be made at San Siro when Inter and Juventus meet in one of the Italian football's most famous fixtures.

Eighteen points behind Napoli, second-placed Inter are looking over their shoulders at those behind them in a tight fight for the Champions League places.

Had they not been deducted 15 points, Juve would be above Inter and firmly in that battle.

As it is, victory here is critical for Juve's slim chances of climbing into the top four — they are 10 points adrift of fourth-placed Milan — with both sides hoping the Rossoneri slip up at Udinese and Lazio and Roma play out a draw.

And, as Stats Perform explains in a look at the standout Opta numbers ahead of the Derby d'Italia, history is on the side of Juve keeping themselves in the hunt.

Juve dominance

Inter and Juve are set to face off for the 180th time in the top flight, making it the fixture with the most matches in Serie A history.

Juve have dominated this great rivalry, winning 86 matches compared to 48 for Inter, with 45 games finishing as a draw.

The hosts have long since struggled in this fixture when it has been played in the second half of the season. They are winless against Juve at home in Serie A in such games since April 2010.

On top of that, since winning the treble 13 years ago, Inter have prevailed in just two their 12 total home league games against the Bianconeri (D5 L5).

Key to improving that record may be Lautaro Martinez, who has scored four home goals in Serie A in 2023, a tally only Adrien Rabiot and Victor Osimhen can match.

However, the World Cup winner has only scored one goal in nine top-flight games against Juventus and has a goal average of one every 586 minutes against the Bianconeri: his worst in Serie A against any opponent versus whom he has found the net.

Bianconeri back at their best

From an Inter perspective, Juve head into this game in worryingly good form.

Indeed, the Bianconeri are playing at a level not far away from that of runaway leaders Napoli.

Only Napoli (23) have scored more goals than Juventus (20) in Serie A in 2023, while Partenopei are the sole team to have claimed more wins (9) than Massimiliano Allegri's side in this calendar year.

Perhaps of even more concern for Inter is the contrast in form between the two sides in the match immediately after a European contest.

Another Champions League hangover?

Inter got the job done in Porto in midweek and, through to a quarter-final with another Portuguese opponent in Benfica, can have hope of a first Champions League final appearance since their triumph in 2010.

But the Nerazzurri have struggled of late in games following Champions League tussles. Inter have lost three of their last six Serie A matches after their Champions League games, including their last two (against Bologna and Juventus in the reverse match).

Juve are competing in the Europa League after failing to make it out of the Champions League group stage, but they have won each of their last such six league games after Continental encounters.

If Juve repeat the feat from the reverse fixture and defeat Inter without conceding, it will mark the first time they have won both games in this fixture to nil since the 1976-77 season.

Mikel Arteta has backed his Arsenal players to put their Europa League disappointment behind them against managerless Crystal Palace in the first of "11 finals" remaining this season.

Arsenal's cup hopes for the season were ended in a penalty shoot-out loss to Sporting CP on Thursday, meaning their entire focus is now on finishing top of the Premier League.

The Gunners have won five in a row in the top flight and are five points clear of Manchester City, who are not in league action this weekend.

While Arsenal's European prospects are over for another campaign, it could yet prove a blessing in disguise as they chase down a first league title in 19 years.

"The disappointment is not going to go away," Arteta said. "The disappointment is there. But it brings us clarity.

"There are 11 Premier League games to play and the next final is against Palace. We have to recover and put all our energy and focus on that game."

Arsenal handed a first start to fit-again striker Gabriel Jesus since November in their meeting with Sporting, but Takehiro Tomiyasu and William Saliba both sustained injuries.

Arteta will evaluate the fitness of his players ahead of Sunday's visit of London rivals Palace, who parted company with Arsenal great Patrick Vieira on Friday.

Under-21s coach Paddy McCarthy will take charge of the trip to Emirates Stadium as Palace seek a first win in 13 attempts across all competitions this calendar year.

They are still a respectable 12th heading into the weekend's action despite their poor run of form, but the gap on the bottom three now stands at just three points.

Explaining the decision to part company with Vieira, Palace chairman Steve Parish told Sky Sports: "It's a shame because I have an enormous amount of time and respect for Patrick.

"But it's a results-based business. It's very tight at the bottom, and I have to think about what gives us the best chance of retaining our status."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Arsenal – Gabriel Martinelli

Gabriel Martinelli's penalty miss proved decisive in the shoot-out loss to Sporting, but the Brazil international has otherwise been brilliant for Arsenal this campaign.

Indeed, Martinelli is Arsenal's top Premier League scorer this term with 12, which is the most goals a player has scored for the club while aged 21 or under since Nicolas Anelka's 17 in the 1998-99 season.

Crystal Palace – Jordan Ayew

Palace have gone four games without finding the net and are in desperate need of their attacking players stepping up.

Ayew has not scored in 11 league appearances, but against no team has he scored more goals in the competition than he has managed against Arsenal (four).

MATCH PREDICTION – ARSENAL WIN

Palace have avoided defeat in each of their past four away Premier League meetings against Arsenal, with each of the past three finishing all square.

However, the Eagles are in terrible form and make this latest trip to Emirates Stadium with their under-21s coach in charge.

Arsenal by comparison are in good form domestically and have won eight of their nine London derbies in the league this campaign – a record they will be confident of improving.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Arsenal – 54.6 per cent

Crystal Palace – 18.9 per cent

Draw – 26.5 per cent

Seattle Sounders face Los Angeles FC on Saturday in what Brian Schmetzer has described as a game "between two of the biggest clubs" in MLS.

Reigning MLS Cup champions LAFC head to Lumen Field with two wins under their belt from their two games this season – they are second in the Western Conference, one place ahead of Seattle, who are also on six points but lost at FC Cincinnati last time out.

LAFC were beaten by Alajuelense in the CONCACAF Champions League on Wednesday but have still progressed in that competition thanks to a 3-0 win in the first leg.

And Schmetzer knows the Sounders will have to be at their best to end LAFC's winning start to the MLS season.

"This feels like a game between two of the biggest clubs in the league," said Schmetzer.

"We're really focused on playing up to our potential and then we'll see what the scoreline says at the end of the game.

"They're defending champs, it's a big game, and I hope to see everybody out there. We'll need the fans."

Schmetzer's sentiment was echoed by Seattle midfielder Cristian Roldan, who added: "This is another opportunity to send a statement out to the rest of the league, to ourselves, that we can compete with the best on a weekly basis."

LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo, meanwhile, will be looking for more cutting edge from his side after their 2-1 defeat to Alajuelense.

"We're happy to be further in the competition, which was our objective," he said in a press conference.

"We created many chances, didn't finish. The only difference [from the first leg] was they scored a goal in the first half.

"We were a little too loose in our defensive transition. If we finish our chances early, the run of the game looks much different."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Seattle Sounders – Jordan Morris

Jordan Morris scored in each of Seattle's first two home games this season. The only Sounders player to score in the team's first three home matches of a season was Obafemi Martins in 2015.

Los Angeles FC – Denis Bouanga

Denis Bouanga has had a flying start to 2023, scoring five goals – including a hat-trick in the first leg against Alajuelense – and assisting a further two.

Bouanga has contributed to four goals in two matches so far this MLS season (two goals, two assists) after recording only three goal contributions (three goals) in 10 matches for LAFC last term.

MATCH PREDICTION – SEATTLE TO WIN

Seattle won their opening two home games of the MLS season by a combined score of 6-0. The Sounders have won their first three home matches of a campaign on two previous occasions, back in 2019 and 2021.

Indeed, that third victory in 2021 came against LAFC, whose inaugural MLS game was a 1-0 win over the Sounders in March 2018.

Since then, however, Seattle are unbeaten in six straight home meetings with LAFC (W4 D2).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Seattle Sounders – 41 per cent

Los Angeles FC – 30.9 per cent

Draw – 28.1 per cent

Graham Potter has noted the change in atmosphere around Chelsea following their positive recent run, which his side will hope to continue against Everton.

Potter was under huge pressure at Stamford Bridge after a dismal stretch that saw only two wins in 15 matches in all competitions.

But Chelsea have since won three in a row, with Premier League victories over Leeds United and Leicester City sandwiching a vital Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund.

Emboldened by those results, Potter met with fans at an event this week and told them he would "try to win the f***ing Champions League".

That enthusiasm could have been dampened by Friday's draw, in which Chelsea were paired with Real Madrid on the same side of the bracket as Manchester City and Bayern Munich, but Potter remained upbeat ahead of Saturday's meeting with Everton.

"It was a nice event in front of 1,000 or so supporters. The atmosphere was good," Potter said after a clip of his rallying cry appeared on social media.

"It was a good evening. Results give everyone belief and happiness, and we're here to win."

Everton have also improved of late under Sean Dyche, winning three of their last seven to give themselves a fighting chance in the relegation battle.

All of those victories have come at home, but Dyche hopes his side have the mentality to take that form on the road – starting at Chelsea.

"It's more the consistency of the mentality, home games going into away games," he said. "It's the mentality and saying, 'look we're going to take it on'.

"There's certain tactical things that may change, but generally speaking, the mentality is massive.

"There's some tactical tweaks sometimes, certain grounds you might not have the ball as much, but you've got to find ways of winning, and we're trying to build a mentality where we can win games under different circumstances."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Chelsea – Mykhaylo Mudryk

Chelsea played some thrilling football in the win at Leicester and, to the relief of some supporters, there was a role in that team for Mykhaylo Mudryk.

The winger had previously lost his place in the side and did not even appear from the bench against Leeds and Dortmund, but his wait for a first goal involvement was ended with an assist for Mateo Kovacic. Mudryk will hope a first goal is not far away.

Everton – Demarai Gray

With Everton still without Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Gray was handed a striking role last time out against Brentford.

Although he did not score, no Everton player was involved in more shots (three shots, two key passes). Dyche will likely rely on the winger-turned-forward's nuisance factor again at the Bridge.

MATCH PREDICTION – CHELSEA WIN

Although Everton have beaten Chelsea in each of the previous four seasons, all of those wins came at Goodison Park. They have a miserable record in west London.

Indeed, Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 27 Premier League home games against Everton. Against no side have they ever had a longer unbeaten run at Stamford Bridge in their top-flight history.

And the Blues have started to find form at both ends of the pitch. They have scored five goals across their past two games, as many as they had in their previous 12 in all competitions, and are looking to keep three consecutive home clean sheets in all competitions for the first time since September 2021.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Chelsea – 54.1 per cent

Everton – 19.3 per cent

Draw – 26.6 per cent

The Champions League quarter-final draw threw up no shortage of intrigue – particularly for Pep Guardiola.

The Manchester City manager will face Bayern Munich for the first time since leaving Germany in 2016.

But that is not the only reunion in the last eight as Carlo Ancelotti again goes back to Chelsea 12 months on from an epic tie at the same stage last season.

It might not be Ancelotti's last meeting with a former side either, potentially facing Bayern in the semi-finals and then Napoli or Milan in the final.

The Madrid coach has a mixed record facing sides he has previously coached, however, while Guardiola has some painful memories to get over.

Stats Perform looks at how the most dominant coaches of the modern era have fared against former teams...

Carlo Ancelotti (P14 W3 D5 L6)

The Italian eliminated two of his former employers en route to winning the Champions League in 2021-22, with dramatic comebacks against both Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 and Chelsea in the quarter-finals.

And Ancelotti's first European crown as a coach came courtesy of Milan beating Juventus on penalties in the 2003 final.

There was another victory against Juventus while in his first stint with Madrid back in 2013-14, winning at the Santiago Bernabeu in the group stage.

Yet after that match, Ancelotti went nine without a win in the Champions League against clubs he had previously coached, finally ending that run with the second-leg victory against PSG last season.

That miserable sequence included a semi-final loss to Juve in 2015 when Madrid were defending champions, along with crashing out at the quarter-final stage against Madrid while in charge of Bayern in 2016-17.

In September 2017, Bayern lost 3-0 to PSG, prompting Ancelotti's sacking. It is fair to say he has bounced back.

Pep Guardiola (P4 W2 D0 L2)

Guardiola may be set to face Bayern for the first time since joining City, but he has already endured a pair of rough returns to Barcelona.

His first Champions League trip back to Camp Nou, where the Catalan coach had so many happy memories, was in the 2014-15 semi-finals.

Guardiola's Bayern were blown away by eventual champions Barca, losing 3-0 in a game best remembered for Lionel Messi's mesmerising second goal that left Jerome Boateng in a spin. Bayern's 3-2 home victory in the second leg was too little, too late.

Yet that tie does not even include Guardiola's heaviest defeat to the Blaugrana, taking City back to his former home in the 2016-17 group stage and losing 4-0 as Messi hit a hat-trick.

City at least responded with a 3-1 win at home, but Guardiola will hope this latest reunion is far more enjoyable.

Jose Mourinho (P8 W5 D1 L2)

Guardiola's great rival Jose Mourinho has had far more joy facing former friends, although he has had the benefit of taking on Porto – the underdogs he remarkably led to the 2004 title – with some big hitters.

Porto were still reigning European champions when Mourinho's Chelsea faced them in the 2004-05 group stage, splitting the two matches as the sides won their home games.

Mourinho's second stint at Chelsea also included a double-header against Porto in 2015-16, in which they again won one game apiece, but the now Roma boss revels in knockout ties.

Chelsea beat Porto over two legs in the last 16 in 2006-07, before the Blues saw one of these encounters from the other side in 2009-10. Mourinho's Inter dumped Chelsea out in the first knockout round, going on to win the competition.

Zinedine Zidane (P3 W2 D0 L1 – versus Juventus)

Despite persistent speculation, Zinedine Zidane has still only coached one club – albeit over two spells – in Madrid.

But the former France midfielder played for Juventus before joining Madrid, and the Bianconeri proved accommodating opponents during his time as coach at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Zidane and Madrid won three Champions Leagues in three years between 2016 and 2018, beating Juve en route to the second two successes.

The Madrid boss's first meeting with Juve as a coach was in the 2017 final in Cardiff, where Los Blancos swatted their Serie A opponents aside 4-1.

It was a rather closer and more controversial affair the following season, when Madrid were coasting after Cristiano Ronaldo's first-leg overhead kick in a 3-0 away win in the quarter-finals, only for Juve to rally in Spain.

At 3-0, the tie was heading for extra time, before a remarkable finale saw Gianluigi Buffon sent off as Ronaldo scored from the penalty spot. Rarely has a 3-1 loss been so celebrated.

Arsenal crashed out of the Europa League with a penalty shoot-out defeat to Sporting CP on Thursday, and Mikel Arteta will be looking for an instant response in the Premier League.

The title is now their sole focus, and with Manchester City in FA Cup action this weekend, the Gunners can move eight points clear at the top should they beat Crystal Palace, who on Friday sacked Arsenal great Patrick Vieira after an 11-game winless run.

Palace are 12th but only three points above the relegation zone, and that picture could change by the time they play on Sunday.

After Nottingham Forest welcome Newcastle United on Friday, Bournemouth visit Aston Villa, Leicester City have a tough trip to Brentford, Southampton host Tottenham, and Wolves and Leeds United face off in another big match at the bottom of the table. Everton, who are also in the relegation scrap, play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Here, with the help of Opta data, Stats Perform has provided some key insights and predictions.

Southampton v Tottenham 

Between December 2019 and January 2021, Southampton won five of six Premier League games against sides starting the day in the top four of the table (L1). However, since then they are winless in 15 such games (D6 L9), conceding 43 goals and scoring just nine in return.

Southampton have scored at least once in each of their last 14 Premier League games against Spurs, since a 2-0 home loss in December 2015, but they have kept just one clean sheet in their last 21 against them, when they won 1-0 in January 2020.

In all competitions, Tottenham have lost each of their last four away games, the last three of which without scoring. This is Spurs' longest run of away defeats in succession since May 2019 (five in a row), while not since January 1983 have they lost four straight away matches without scoring (a run of five).

Best bet – Harry Kane to score or assist: Harry Kane has been directly involved in 17 goals in 15 Premier League appearances against Southampton (11 goals, six assists), having only had a hand in more goals against Leicester (22). The England captain has scored nine away goals in the competition this season – no other player in Premier League history has netted 10 times on the road in more than four separate campaigns, whereas Kane is on the verge of doing so for the seventh time.

Long shot – Richarlison to score: Richarlison was desperately unlucky not to break his duck for Spurs in the win over Forest last week, with a fierce finish ruled out for offside. The Brazil forward has netted five times in his last seven league appearances against Saints, making them his favourite team to play against when it comes to goals, but he is yet to score in the Premier League this season.

Opta prediction: Spurs are made favourites for this one by Opta's supercomputer, with Antonio Conte's team given a 54 per cent chance of victory. There is roughly a one in four chance of a draw (25.7 per cent), while Southampton, who prop up the table but could move as high as 15th with a win, are given a 20.3 per cent chance of claiming the spoils.

Wolves v Leeds United

Having been unbeaten in six league games against Leeds between 2017 and 2021 (W5 D1), Wolves have lost their last two against the Whites. Indeed, Leeds are looking to complete their first league double over Wolves since 2015-16 and their first in the top flight since 1973-74.

Leeds, who will be without key midfielder Tyler Adams due to a hamstring issue, have earned four points from their three Premier League games under Javi Gracia (W1 D1 L1), as many as they had in their 10 games before his arrival (W0 D4 L6). However, they are winless in their last seven away matches (D2 L5). 

Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui has won both of his previous meetings with Gracia in all competitions. These games came in the 2020-21 campaign, with Lopetegui's Sevilla beating Gracia's Valencia 1-0 in LaLiga and 3-0 in the Copa Del Rey.

Best bet – Wolves to avoid defeat: No side have fewer away wins (one) or away points (six) in the Premier League this season than Leeds, who have lost nine of their 13 away league games this term. Wolves, meanwhile, have won three of their last four home league games (L1), more than they had in their previous 12 (W2 D3 L7). 

Long shot – Wolves to score over two goals: Wolves have a shot conversion rate of 6.8 per cent in the Premier League this season, their lowest in any of their nine campaigns in the competition. Only once have they scored more than twice in a top-flight game this term, when they beat Liverpool 3-0 in February.

Opta prediction: Expect this one to be close, based on the prediction model, which makes Wolves the slight favourites (39.3 per cent), although Leeds are at 31.3 per cent. A draw is certainly feasible and is given a 29.4 per cent chance.

Chelsea v Everton

Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 27 Premier League home games against Everton (W15 D12) since a 1-0 loss in November 1994. Against no side have they ever had a longer unbeaten run at Stamford Bridge in their top-flight history. Everton managed a 1-1 draw with a makeshift side in the corresponding fixture last season, but a win still evades them.

Before this season, Everton had beaten Chelsea in each of the last four Premier League campaigns, although all of their victories were at home. They have not beaten the Blues in five straight league seasons since the 1930s.

Everton have won three of their seven Premier League games under Sean Dyche so far (D1 L3), as many as they had in their 20 matches under Frank Lampard this season (D6 L11), but again all of those wins have come at home.

Best bet – Chelsea to win: Everton are winless in their last 11 Premier League away games against London sides (D3 L8), failing to score in each of the last four, and Chelsea have only failed to beat the Toffees at home twice since the start of the 2016-17 season.

Long shot – Everton to win 1-0: If the visitors are to claim a victory, expect it to be a cagey one. In fact, 40 per cent (30) of Dyche's 75 Premier League wins have been by a 1-0 scoreline, including his three as Everton boss. Of the 52 managers with at least 50 wins in the competition, only Tony Pulis (42 per cent – 41 of 98) has won a higher share by a 1-0 scoreline.

Opta prediction: Given Everton's torrid form on the road – they have won fewer Premier League away games (three) and earned fewer points on the road (18) than any of the 17 ever-present sides since the start of last season – and dismal record at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea are the overwhelming favourites at 54.1 per cent on Opta's model. Everton are handed a slim 19.3 per cent chance of success, while the draw is rated at 26.6 per cent.

Arsenal v Crystal Palace 

Palace elected to part ways with Arsenal legend Vieira and could well be further embroiled in the relegation battle by the end of Sunday's game. After all, the Gunners have won their last five Premier League matches, netting at least three goals in four of those, including each of the last three. 

Arsenal have won eight of their nine London derbies in the Premier League this season (D1); in English Football League history, no side have ever won nine all-London match-ups in a single season. Palace, on the other hand, have won just one of their eight derbies this term. The Eagles have, however, avoided defeat in their last four Premier League away games against Arsenal, with each of the last three ending level (W1).

Since his Premier League debut for Arsenal in January, no player has been involved in more goals for the Gunners than Leandro Trossard (six – one goal, five assists). He has five assists in his last four Premier League games, as many as in his previous 64 appearances.

Best bet – Gabriel Martinelli to have 2+ shots on target: After missing the crucial penalty in Arsenal's shoot-out loss to Sporting in Europe, Martinelli will be determined to put things right. He is Arsenal's highest goalscorer in the Premier League this season with 12 goals, including five in his last five appearances. 

Long shot – Palace to keep a clean sheet: Palace have kept just one clean sheet in 22 away league games against Arsenal (49 goals conceded), a goalless draw in January 2021, while the Gunners have scored in all but one of their league games at Emirates Stadium this season.

Opta prediction: Arsenal are the favourites, although given the respective form of these sides, a 54.6 per cent win prediction perhaps feels a bit low – a reflection of Palace's recent unbeaten run at Emirates Stadium. Opta gives the draw a 26.5 per cent chance, while the supercomputer has a Palace win ranked at 18.9 per cent.

Kepa Arrizabalaga looked to be yesterday's man at Chelsea, but such has been his recent form the goalkeeper might have a long-term role to play for the Blues.

He might also be a quick fix this weekend if your fantasy league goalkeeper is having a rough time of it.

In north London, title-chasing Arsenal have a pillar of strength in their backline, and a goal threat too, as Gabriel Magalhaes makes his presence felt at each end of the pitch.

Chelsea face Everton this weekend, while Arsenal tackle Crystal Palace, and away from the capital there is a chance for Ollie Watkins to show his prowess as Aston Villa take on Bournemouth.

Tottenham, still in the hunt for a Champions League place, travel to Southampton with Son Heung-min facing perhaps his favourite opposition.

Using Opta data, Stats Perform has assessed why these four players could help your fantasy league team bring in useful points this weekend.
 

Kepa Arrizabalaga (Chelsea v Everton)

The turnaround in Kepa's Chelsea career has been astonishing. From looking destined to be a permanent understudy, he has responded to Edouard Mendy's injury absence by making a huge impression and staking a strong claim to keep his place for the long term. Since the World Cup, only Alisson and David de Gea, each with six shutouts, have kept more clean sheets than Arrizabalaga (5).

Spaniard Kepa's 79.55 per cent save rate in this period has been bettered only by Brentford's David Raya (84.62), and this weekend he faces an Everton side who have a joint-worst goals-per-game record this season. The Toffees have 20 goals in 27 Premier League games, or just 0.74 goals per game, the same record as Southampton and Wolves.

Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal v Crystal Palace)

Gabriel got Arsenal's opener in the 3-0 win at Fulham last week, and the central defender can be a set-piece threat in another London derby on Sunday.

The Brazilian's goal at Craven Cottage was his 10th in the Premier League, more than any other defender has managed since his debut in 2020-21. This season, no defender has more Premier League goals (3) or clean sheets (12) than the Brazilian, so can you really afford to be without him?

Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa v Bournemouth)

Villa striker Watkins netted his 100th English league goal last time out (excluding play-offs) and is one away from reaching 10 Premier League goals for a third successive season.

Bournemouth will be on their guard, no doubt, a week on from shutting out Liverpool. Watkins has scored six goals in his last seven Premier League games, with only Marcus Rashford (8), Erling Haaland and Harry Kane (both 7) netting more in 2023.

Watkins has missed out on selection for the latest England squad, so he may also feel he has a point to prove this weekend.

Son Heung-min (Southampton v Tottenham)

Son hit four for Tottenham at St Mary's in September 2020, when the pandemic made it a behind-closed-doors game.

The South Korean forward has more goals (10) and more goal involvements (14) against Southampton than he has against any other side in the competition, including eight goal involvements in his last six games against them (6 goals, 2 assists).

He scored in the win over Nottingham Forest last weekend, and will fancy it against struggling Saints.

It wasn't too long ago that it all looked rather bleak for Graham Potter.

Chelsea had splashed the cash in January, breaking the Premier League's record transfer fee and handing out seven and eight-year deals to some of Europe's hottest prospects.

Yet that expenditure did not have the desired immediate effect, with the Blues managing just one victory between the start of January and the end of February.

March, however, has heralded the shoots of recovery, and while Chelsea remain 10th in the top flight ahead of hosting relegation-threatened Everton on Saturday, they have won their last three games, which included progressing past Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.

The pressure seems to have eased on Potter, and Chelsea will now focus on securing a European place for next season – which, given their extraordinary spend, will be the least Todd Boehly and Co. will expect.

But just how are each of Chelsea's mid-season additions getting on?

Benoit Badiashile (Grade: B)

The first through the door at Stamford Bridge in January, Badiashile arrived from Monaco in a deal reportedly in the region of €38million (£33.7m).

A powerful, left-sided centre-back, Badiashile was a regular for Monaco and at 21, still has a long career ahead of him. He has made seven league appearances since his switch to England, starting six of those games, though he was not included in the Blues' Champions League squad.

Joao Felix (Grade: B)

Joao Felix's relationship with Diego Simeone had reportedly becoming strained over the first half of the season, and Atletico Madrid's record signing has been given a chance to rediscover his spark in England.

Whether or not this loan deal will be made permanent remains to be seen, but the Portugal forward has certainly shown flashes of his immense talent, even if that has not always turned into goals. A promising debut was marred by a red card after a reckless challenge on Fulham's Kenny Tete, which saw Joao Felix banned for three matches, but he has made eight appearances since he returned, starting each one.

Only Kai Havertz has registered more expected goals (xG) than Joao Felix's 3.83 in Chelsea's squad in that time, and the data shows the former Benfica prodigy has been unfortunate with his finishing, scoring once from an expected goals on target (xGOT) figure of 2.95. Essentially, based on the quality of his attempts, he would be anticipated to be on three goals already, while he has also hit the woodwork on three occasions.

David Datro Fofana (Grade: C)

For all Chelsea's business, they did not sign an out-and-out proven striker in the January window. Fofana is arguably the best fit for the position of the players they brought in, but the 20-year-old Ivory Coast international is extremely raw.

Fofana scored 15 Eliteserien goals in 2022 for Molde, but the Premier League is a world away than Norway's top tier. He has made three appearances for the Blues, one in the FA Cup and two in the league. His only start did not go according to plan, however, as he was taken off at half-time in a 1-0 home loss to lowly Southampton. Fofana played two key passes and also managed two shots, but he has not played a senior game since that defeat on February 18. 

Andrey Santos (Grade: N/A)

Another one for the future, Santos has just turned 18. He's back playing on loan for Vasco da Gama in Brazil, where he came through the ranks and made his debut at the age of 16.

Mykhaylo Mudryk (Grade: C)

Chelsea won the tussle for Ukraine international Mudryk, getting one over on league leaders Arsenal in the process. However, paying a fee that could reach £89m (€100m) means the expectations are sky-high.

An impressive cameo against Liverpool was followed up by a start against Fulham, yet the 22-year-old was subbed off at half-time having failed to have a shot, create a chance or attempt a cross.

Mudryk has been in and out of Potter's starting XI and is yet to score, though he did provide his first assist with a header back to Mateo Kovacic in a 3-1 win over Leicester City last week. Chelsea fans will have to be patient but there's a reason the winger was so highly sought after while at Shakhtar Donetsk.

Noni Madueke (Grade: C)

Just five days after Mudryk's arrival, Chelsea decided to sign another winger. Madueke had seemed set to fill the Cody Gakpo void at PSV following the Netherlands international's move to Liverpool, yet the Blues decided they needed to bolster their forward options.

Like Badiashile and Fofana, Madueke was not listed in Chelsea's Champions League squad, so he is only an option in the Premier League for now. He has made four appearances and two starts, creating five goalscoring opportunities.

Madueke has plenty of potential but it does seem he might have been better served staying at PSV for more game time.

Malo Gusto (Grade: N/A)

Like Santos, full-back Gusto is back on loan at the club he was signed from, Lyon, who Chelsea paid a reported £26m (€29.7m) towards the end of the transfer window. The 19-year-old was a regular in Ligue 1 until sustaining a thigh muscle injury in early February, and he is yet to return to action.

Enzo Fernandez (Grade: B+)

The cherry on top of Chelsea's hugely expensive cake came on deadline day, as they smashed the British transfer record to sign World Cup-winning midfielder Fernandez from Benfica for a cool £106.7m (€120m).

Fernandez was crucial to Argentina's success in Qatar but only had half a season in Europe under his belt, with the 22-year-old having only joined Benfica from River Plate last year.

He has started all eight of the matches he has been available for and has shown some excellence in possession – a sublime cross for Joao Felix against West Ham and an exquisite, chipped pass for Kai Havertz to latch onto against Leicester have both resulted in assists.

Fernandez has already attempted 264 more passes than any other Chelsea player since his debut (623) and has been involved in the most open play shot-ending sequences (24), while his 96 duels and 44 duels won are also team-highs in that time. 

A goal has so far evaded Fernandez and Karim Adeyemi got the better of him too easily for Dortmund's winner in the first leg of the Champions League last-16 tie last month, but it's been a strong start.