Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk remains a "world-class player" who is as capable as anyone of keeping Manchester City striker Erling Haaland quiet.

That is according to former Reds striker Robbie Keane, who also told Stats Perform talk of Jurgen Klopp departing Anfield is "absolutely ludicrous".

Van Dijk's form for club and country has been the subject of much debate, with Netherlands greats Marco van Basten and Ruud Gullit heavily criticising the defender this week.

On the back of the Netherlands' 4-0 loss to France, Van Basten accused Van Dijk of "making noise but not saying anything" and creating chaos in the side.

Fellow former Netherlands international Gullit, speaking alongside Van Basten in his punditry role with Ziggo Sport, said Van Dijk "thinks he is better than the rest".

Experienced defender Van Dijk faces arguably the toughest challenge in world football this weekend when Liverpool travel to City on their return to Premier League action.

Haaland, who is expected to be fit despite pulling out of Norway's squad, has scored 42 goals at club level this season – 11 more than any player across Europe's major leagues.

But Keane believes Van Dijk is more than able to keep the prolific striker quiet in Saturday's contest at the Etihad Stadium.

"The number of goals Haaland has scored is incredible for such a young player," Keane said. "He's certainly suited to this league and he's powerfully strong.

"When you're playing a team like Man City, who create the chances they do, you know as a striker you've always got a chance to score goals.

"But then you have someone like Van Dijk, who is a world-class player. If there's anybody that can keep [Haaland] quiet, it's certainly him."

Liverpool have won just one of their past 13 Premier League away games against City, with that solitary victory coming in November 2015 when winning 4-1.

The Reds were beaten by Bournemouth last time out in the league and will finish the campaign trophyless following Champions League elimination at the hands of Real Madrid.

Klopp has been asked numerous times about his future in what has been a poor campaign for Liverpool, but Keane does not expect him to go anywhere at the end of the season.

"If I'm being totally honest, I think it's absolutely ridiculous people are even questioning Jurgen Klopp, if he should leave this club or not, absolutely no way," he said. 

"The only person I think should get to decide that is Jurgen Klopp after what he's done for this football club. It's not going to happen. No way. The fans love him. 

"I know the owners love him being here, so it would be absolutely ludicrous for people to suggest that he would leave."

Liverpool have taken 12 points from 13 Premier League away games this season, compared to 30 at home – the biggest difference (18 points) between any side in the division.

They are running out of time to climb into the top four, but Keane is confident Klopp is the right man to rebuild the squad regardless of what happens over the next two months.

"The team, like any other team, goes through bad spells and that seems to be happening this year," added Keane, who spent one season with Liverpool in 2008-09.

"Jurgen Klopp, he's very good at rebuilding. So I'm sure he'd be trying to get into the top four the season with 10 games still to go. 

"He won't be resting. We know what he's like, the character he is. We hope to get into the top four and then I'm sure he already has one eye on next year and ready to go again."

Robbie Keane expects Tottenham head coach Antonio Conte's future to be resolved "in the next few days".

Conte is facing the sack after an extraordinary outburst following a 3-3 Premier League draw at Southampton last weekend.

The Italian accused his players of being "selfish", having "no heart" and not wanting to "play under stress" after they dropped points against the struggling Saints.

Conte has returned to his homeland during the international break amid reports he could be shown the door before his contract expires at the end of this season.

Spurs bowed out of the Champions League with a whimper at the hands of Milan and are fourth in the Premier League.

Former Tottenham striker Keane thinks uncertainty over Conte's position will be ended early next week.

Asked about Spurs' season, he told Stats Perform: "I would say inconsistent if you look where they are. If they finish in the top four, is that a fantastic, successful season? I would say probably yes.

"With just 10 games to go, I think they're in a good position. Of course, the situation with Conte is not helpful. But nothing has come out yet in terms of the club or Conte saying that he's going to leave or he's going to stay.

"I'm sure that will be sorted out in the next few days, definitely before Monday or Tuesday because the lads are back in training, but it's not unusual for Conte to go home.

"He's been doing this since he's been at the club when the lads are on international break. He goes home and spends time with his family. So that's normal because I think we have three first-team players that are there.

"Ryan Mason and other first-team coaches take it. So that's not unusual. I think everybody, every Tottenham fan, would probably need a bit of clarity, certainly in the next few days."

Tottenham, who have been tipped to move for sacked Bayern Munich head coach Julian Nagelsmann, face Everton on their return to Premier League action a week on Monday.

Any delay in the sale of Manchester United could lead to a "vacuum" that impacts transfers at the end of the season.

That is according to football finance expert Kieran Maguire, who also believes the reportedly high asking price put on the Premier League club by owners the Glazer family is because United are seen as a "trophy asset".

The deadline for bids for the club passed at 9pm GMT on Wednesday, though reports have suggested both British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Al Thani requested an extension before submitting their respective offers.

Speaking to Stats Perform, Maguire detailed why any buyer will likely want to get a deal over the line quickly in preparation for the transfer window at the end of the season.

"I think whoever does acquire Manchester United will want to do it as early as they can into the transfer window for the summer of 2023 because they'll be wanting to make a statement," he said.

"Also, from the Glazers' point of view, they don't want to be committing themselves or committing the club to long-term contracts on players who might not be in favour with any potential new owners.

"So the danger is that if things are dragging on over the summer, there could be a vacuum with regard to player trading."

Though reports suggest that several bids for either a takeover or minority investment have been made, Ratcliffe and Shekh Jassim have been the most public about their interest, though have made it known they do not want to pay over the odds for the Red Devils.

It is expected that any successful bid would need to be above the world-record amount paid for a sports team, which was NFL franchise the Denver Broncos when they were bought for $4.65billion by the Walton-Penner family ownership group in June last year.

Maguire explained that the money involved in acquiring a sports team is rarely based on financial prudence, rather it is a way for billionaires to "win the room" among their peers.

"If you take a look at Chelsea, which was sold for around $3billion last year, that was a distressed asset," Maguire said. "Roman Abramovich had his assets frozen by the UK government at the time and I think that took a lot of people by surprise, because Chelsea had lost well over £1million a week for 19 years under Abramovich.

"You put that into any spreadsheet and the fundamentals say the business isn't worth it, but football is a trophy asset industry.

"There are many billionaires who want to make a statement and the way to do that is to buy a brand, to buy a franchise, which from a financial perspective the prices cannot be justified, but if you've got billions burning a hole in your pocket, what better way to win the room?

"If your social circle is fellow billionaires, everybody's got an apartment in Manhattan and Monaco, everybody owns a yacht, everybody's got a few helicopters, but if you own a sports franchise which is as unique as the Broncos or in the world of football, Manchester United, then you win the room, and that's what the price is going to be linked to.

"On a cash flow basis, on a comparative basis to other football clubs, are Manchester United bigger than Newcastle United? Yes it is, but is it worth 20 times the price of Newcastle? The answer, fundamentally, is no, but that's probably what it's going to take to persuade the Glazer family to sell."

Andrew Cole is adamant his former team Manchester United have no chance of winning the Premier League this season.

United picked up their first piece of silverware since 2017 with a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United in the EFL Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. 

They also remain in the hunt for the Europa League after defeating Barcelona, while Erik ten Hag's team face West Ham on Wednesday for a spot in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

In the league, United sit third – eight points off leaders Arsenal – but Cole is certain that, despite their fine form in 2023, they will not challenge for the title.

Speaking to Stats Perform, he said: "If you look at the teams in front of them in Manchester City and Arsenal, Manchester City would have to capitulate and so would Arsenal.

"Man City's form has been very indifferent this season and Arsenal at the present moment are scratching through and getting results.

"So for Man United to win the league, those teams would have to capitulate and Manchester United would have to win virtually every game from now until the end of the season. 

"That is a tall order, especially with the games coming up.

"I'd be very happy for us to finish in the top four which we have a great chance of doing. We're still in Europa League, we are still in the FA Cup and then go from there. 

"But I think if you set the priorities at the start of the season, to talk about winning the league, everyone would have said, 'Nah you're mad, actually mad, not a chance.' So what's changed?"

City hammered Bournemouth on Saturday but had previously slipped up against Nottingham Forest, with Arsenal reclaiming top spot.

Arsenal have the opportunity to move five points clear at the top of the table when they play struggling Everton on Wednesday.

Yet Cole, who won five titles with United, believes the experience of reigning champions City will help them to triumph over Mikel Arteta's side.

He added: "I'm still going for Man City – they've got the experience, they've won it numerous times before. Their form has been so indifferent this season but at some stage, they're going to catch fire.

"Arsenal at this present moment, are at this time getting results but not playing particularly well – whoever's at the top of the league will always go for a little blip.

"United have done it at the start of this season. Chelsea have actually imploded, Tottenham – exactly the same thing. 

"It feels a little bit like when Leicester won the league. It wasn't down to Leicester being a good team, it's about the teams around them just for whatever reason, couldn't get themselves going to get themselves in a position to win the league, and Leicester were very consistent. 

"That's why they won it, as simple as that. So we'll have to wait and see."

Tommy Haas says Carlos Alcaraz is already primed to succeed Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal at the very top of tennis.

Alcaraz became the youngest men's world number one when he won his maiden grand slam title at the US Open last year.

The Spaniard missed this year's Australian Open due to an injury, allowing Djokovic to reclaim his place at the summit of the rankings with his 10th triumph in Melbourne.

Djokovic celebrated a record-breaking 378th week at number one on Monday, the day after Alcaraz had fallen short against Cameron Norrie in the Rio Open final.

Alcaraz, who has already won seven singles titles, battled through pain in Brazil but ultimately slipped to a 5-7 6-4 7-5 defeat against the opponent he beat in the Argentina Open final a week earlier.

With the 19-year-old having already reached 10 tour-level finals, though, former world number two Haas has no doubt Alcaraz is in line to enjoy success close to that of Djokovic and Nadal.

"Yes, you have to say that he already is [ready]," Haas told Stats Perform.

"He had an unbelievable year last year, right. I think he won a title down there in Rio, on clay then he came to Indian Wells playing extremely good tennis, losing a tough battle match against Rafa in the quarters.

"They played some incredible tennis and you could just tell the way he moves on the court, his mental toughness and the shot selection that he has, the repertoire there is, there's nothing really missing.

"Being that young sometimes can be like the only hindrance in my mind because maybe you want it too much, or you overthink things. Or maybe in this case, you clearly don't overthink things, and you just go out and play your best and fight and give it everything you have.

"A lot of respect obviously goes to his team, his family, his coach. He just kind of went on that run, winning [in] Madrid, in his home country. And then winning his first slam, the US Open and being the youngest world number one, so what a quick rise. Just unreal, I can't even imagine how his life has been turned upside down in many ways."

The only concern, as far as Haas sees it, is Alcaraz's injury worries.

"He's a guy that wants to stick around, and remain up there at the top for a very, very long time," Haas added.

"With his game, and his potential, if he stays healthy... that's the thing, he's been already a little bit injured at a young age. So, that's a little bit of a warning sign.

"If he can remain healthy, I think that's where the team is obviously very smart. I think they're trying to build up his body still, to sustain the crazy amount of travel and the stress on the body that tennis creates on you to make sure that he has a long career, because that's what everybody hopes and dreams for."

Germany great Jurgen Klinsmann believes Toni Kroos is an "exceptional player" who can remain at the top level with Real Madrid for another four seasons.

Kroos has made 395 appearance and won a remarkable 18 trophies – including the Champions League four times – for Madrid during nine seasons with the club.

The 33-year-old remains a key player for the LaLiga giants, starting 26 of their 34 games this term – only Federico Valverde (29) and Vinicius Junior (32) have started more often.

However, the midfielder's contract at the Santiago Bernabeu expires at the end of this season and he stated last week he will not rush into making a decision on his future.

Kroos has made clear he will not join another club after he brings an end to his Madrid career, and Klinsmann is hopeful he will hold off from retiring for many more years.

"What he has achieved in the last 10 or 15 years is truly fabulous," Klinsmann told Stats Perform. "He's won it all. I don't even know how many trophies he has won. 

"He is an exceptional player who can manage his energies not only for 90 minutes but up to 120, giving it all for Real Madrid. 

"He could easily play at this level for another three or four seasons, even more since he unfortunately retired from the German national team to save further energy. 

"I hope he can go on playing because it would be sad for him to quit so soon."

Kroos' influence has once again been clear for Los Blancos this season, with his 1,219 completed passes the most of any player in LaLiga, despite missing three games.

He also ranks highest in the division for passes attempted per 90 minutes (94) – 11 more than any other player – among those to have featured more than twice. 

Commenting on his future after helping Madrid to another Club World Cup title last weekend, Kroos said: "I will end my career here.

"I just don't know exactly when yet. I'm thinking about it. It won't take many more months, but there is still no decision."

Jurgen Klinsmann heaped praise on Tottenham striker Harry Kane ahead of the Champions League last-16 tie against Milan.

Kane has been in excellent form for Spurs this season, scoring 17 goals in 23 Premier League games, though he only managed to find the net once in six Champions League group outings.

Klinsmann, who had two spells with the club in the 1990s, called Kane a "symbol" for club and country, and hopes he can win some silverware at some point in his career.

Speaking to Stats Perform, Klinsmann said: "Harry Kane is exceptional. He dedicated all his career to Tottenham and he is not only their symbol, but the symbol of English football.

"He breaks one record after the other, but unfortunately he didn't win anything so far and this is a bit sad because a player like him has to quit with at least a couple of trophies in his pocket.

"For Tottenham he is very important, he can energise the team, keep the spirit up in the changing rooms. He never hides away, as you could see in the World Cup when he stepped up on the second penalty [in England's quarter-final defeat to France]. He missed it but he always takes responsibility. Always. He has character and dedication to his club."

The former Germany striker believes the clash with reigning Serie A champions Milan will be "50-50", though also pointed to Spurs boss Antonio Conte's knowledge of his opponents as a potential difference maker.

"Milan are trying to get themselves together in this difficult period but their squad have quality with great players who need to bounce back," he said. "This game v Tottenham is 50-50, especially because Antonio Conte knows everything on Serie A and Milan, so that gives him the edge."

Neither team arrive in ideal form, with Milan's 1-0 win against Torino on Friday their first victory in eight games, while Spurs were on the end of a 4-1 hammering at Leicester City on Saturday.

"It must all come together, the spirit of the squad and the history of the club," Klinsmann added. "For example a couple of months ago we were all praising Milan's spirit and [head coach, Stefano] Pioli, underlining how that club has understood how to build a great team and now they are in a trough. It happens in football and it happens fast, like for Milan.

"Same thing for [Spurs] in England. You always have to be on the same page with the board, the manager and the squad. If they have any problem, and we don't know from here, so it is difficult for us to have an opinion."

Another of Klinsmann's former clubs, Bayern Munich, also play the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday when they travel to face Paris Saint-Germain, and he predicts it could be a contest decided by individual brilliance.

"When you hear those two names, you expect a show... especially with PSG and [Kylian] Mbappe, who is back training and so maybe he will play," he said.

"And [Lionel] Messi, of course, who is back from winning the World Cup, and then Neymar. You can't beat that as offensive players.

"But Bayern are always the same strong squad. Their spirit is always in their great belief in themselves. Even after a couple of bad games, it is not a problem because eventually they always find a way to be successful.

"It will be a very interesting fixture that can be decided by a small detail like a set piece or a corner. Or maybe a moment of brilliance from Messi, Neymar or Mbappe, or even from Thomas Muller who can smell something in the box and slashes it in the back of the net.

"Never underestimate Bayern Munich, they always find a way to advance in the Champions League. Just like Milan v Tottenham, this is another game of 50-50 where anything can happen."

Tom Brady is a "good bet" to be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame at the first time of asking, though he will still have to wait five years.

Brady called time on his playing career on Wednesday, a year on from retiring for the first time.

While that stint out of the game only lasted 40 days, the legendary quarterback – a seven-time Super Bowl champion – said he was retiring "for good" this time around.

Brady is sure to go down as one of the greatest athletes of all time, though that does not mean he will be able to skip any queue in order to become a Hall of Famer.

Indeed, while Hall of Fame chief communications officer Rich Desrosiers believes Brady will make it into the Hall of Fame on his first ballot, the earliest that will come will be 2028.

"Even Tom Brady has to wait, even Peyton Manning had to wait," Desrosiers told Stats Perform when asked if Brady could be fast-tracked into the Hall of Fame.

"There's some others that we can assume will be or would have been first ballot types of people – Peyton Manning, one that I mentioned, this same conversation came up with him.

"You've got a couple of guys out there whose clocks are running: a Larry Fitzgerald, let's say a Drew Brees.

"I think many people assume they'd be first-ballot guys. It's just something the hall doesn't want to do, because then you've created a precedent, you've established a line, and who's making that determination?

"It's also unfair to the people who are queued up right now to be part of the class of 2024. If Tom were to have the five-year mandatory waiting period waived, then he's really knocking someone else out of the class of 2024, who has been waiting to get in, and we have many players who are on their second, third, fourth, fifth, even 10th year of eligibility.

"[If] all of a sudden, you're just saying, 'we're going to let somebody jump that line', you've displaced somebody else who's gone through the process. So it's not going to happen."

Asked if Brady will be into the Hall of Fame as soon as he can, Desrosiers said: "I would think so. Right now, we have 49 selectors.

"These are 49 mostly active journalists from around the country. They meet and consider the candidacies and each person who's up for election has a presenter who presents the case for the person under consideration.

"The debate might last five minutes 10 minutes, 20. There's been debates on candidates that have gone into 25-30 minute range when you really are starting to weigh this person against that person in the past, and I think it may have started with Brett Farve – Brett's presenter stood up and said two words – 'Brett Farve' and sat back down.

"It happened again with Peyton Manning, and I'm pretty sure that whoever is the presenter for Tom Brady will take a similar approach. They'll just say, 'Tom Brady', sit down.

"Nothing can ever be assumed. But it's probably a pretty good bet."

On Brady's illustrious career, Desrosiers added: "There's people far more talented than I am in debating those things. We'll let them debate that but it's hard to argue with seven Super Bowl championships, five Super Bowl MVPs, he's virtually passing every record, whatever number you want to throw out there.

"He's at the top or near the top of every offensive statistical category there is and a winner, and the longevity – there's plenty of boxes, you can check on the side of the ledger that says greatest of all time for sure."

Cody Gakpo will come good for Liverpool once he has had time to adapt to the Premier League, according to Wesley Sneijder.

The 23-year-old forward has made five appearances for Jurgen Klopp's men since his January move from PSV without registering a goal or assist, as the Reds have faltered in the league and been eliminated from the FA Cup.

Gakpo recorded nine goals and 12 assists in 14 Eredivisie games this season before moving to Anfield, but has so far been unable to replicate that form in England.

Speaking to Stats Perform, former Netherlands international Sneijder expressed his belief that Gakpo is a "great player" who can help his new team recover their season.

"Of course I'm confident [he can improve at Liverpool]. It's always difficult to change clubs during the season," he said. "You don't get the time to adapt.

"Normally when you start with a new club in the pre-season, you have a longer period to adapt to the system, to adapt to the country, to adapt to everything, and to English football as well.

"Now he arrived and he has to play directly so it's difficult, and we should give him some more time because he's a great player with a lot of progression."

Former Ajax midfielder Sneijder also reserved praise for the job Erik ten Hag has done in his first season as Manchester United head coach after leaving the Johan Cruijff ArenA.

"He started the way that he also started in Holland," he said. "Maybe in the beginning [it was] a little bit difficult for people to understand.

"But he's really clear in his decisions and that's what he has shown with Cristiano [Ronaldo], of course, and with more decisions that he's taken.

"He's really clear, he has his own vision. Now you see that they're doing very well. [Marcus] Rashford is in the best [period] of his life. This is what Ten Hag wants, and that's his quality to take the team and let them play the way he wants.

"Also, he knows how to manage it. He knows how to manage the team by making these decisions.

"So he made the statement in the beginning, and, of course, in the beginning, it was a little bit difficult and different from the rest of the coaches but he did a great job. I hope the best for him and that he will bring United back to the top."

Sneijder also spent two years playing for Real Madrid between 2007 and 2009, and has been impressed by the impact of another for Los Blancos midfielder in the Premier League, with Martin Odegaard playing a key part in Arsenal's title charge this season despite struggling to establish himself at the Santiago Bernabeu.

"Yeah, of course [I'm pleased to see how he's doing], because I always believed in his qualities," Sneijder added. "And, of course, Madrid is a difficult club because you don't get that much time there.

"You see now at Arsenal, they really want to build the team and it's going very well so far.

"Also in England, as a midfielder, you have some more space to control the ball and turn in your position than you get in Spain. So you can see that the Premier League really suits him. He's an excellent player and he's showing his qualities every week."

Harry Kane will choose to stay with Tottenham and can win trophies with the club, says former Spurs manager Harry Redknapp.

Kane scored his 266th goal for Spurs in the 1-0 victory over Fulham on Monday, equalling Jimmy Greaves' all-time goalscoring record for Tottenham and boosting their top-four hopes.

But with the striker's contract due to expire in 18 months, it has been rumoured Kane may opt to leave to pursue silverware elsewhere, with links to European giants such as Bayern Munich and Manchester United.

Kane has spent 19 years with Spurs but is yet to lift any major trophies, losing the 2018-19 Champions League final to Liverpool and finishing as an EFL Cup runner-up twice.

But Redknapp, who handed Kane his Spurs debut in a Europa League qualifier against Hearts in 2011, is confident the 29-year-old will not move on.

"I think he'll stay there," Redknapp told Stats Perform. "He's happy there.

"He's got a fantastic contract, obviously, he earns amazing money. His life is good, got a lovely family. I think he's moving house and his life is good. He's enjoying his football there."

Aside from Spurs' bid to repeat their top-four finish of last season, the club remain in both the FA Cup and Champions League as they look to win their first major trophy since the EFL Cup in the 2007-08 campaign.

Redknapp believes the London side can provide Kane with a route to silverware, saying: "I think he feels he can still win something with Tottenham.

"I think Tottenham could win a trophy in the next year or two for sure. I think there's got to be chances they'll win the FA Cup."

Milan Skriniar's expected departure from Inter is down to "a problem of management" at the club, former midfielder Wesley Sneijder has told Stats Perform.

Slovakia international Skriniar, who is a confirmed target for Paris Saint-Germain, is into the final five months of his contract after rejecting fresh terms in December.

The January transfer window is therefore Inter's final chance to receive a fee for the centre-back, who is into his sixth season as an Inter player.

Inter have seen a number of players depart on free transfers in recent years, and ex-Nerazzurri midfielder Sneijder has questioned why that is still happening.

"This is a problem of management," he said. "When management is not good it's hard to control all the details. On the pitch it is easier, while off it, it is harder but just as important.

"You cannot let the players say they want to leave, let alone at this very moment. You have to take precautions in time to prevent all this."

Inter are reported to have already lined up possible replacements for Skriniar, with Fiorentina's Nikola Milenkovic among those to have been linked with a switch to San Siro.

While Sneijder believes Inter have the resources to cope without Skriniar, the former Netherlands international called on the Italian giants to take more responsibility.

"Inter have a great squad and won't suffer from this problem, but there will be others," he said. 

"They need someone to take responsibility and say 'enough is enough, now we only talk about playing football and that's it'.

"I don't know who is responsible for [the Skriniar situation], but someone has to tell the players they are there to play."

Skriniar has played 242 times for Inter in all competitions since joining from Sampdoria in July 2017, helping the club to Serie A, Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana success.

Providing an update on PSG's interest in the 27-year-old this week, head coach Christophe Galtier said: "I cannot say if he will arrive in [January] or in the summer.

"He is a player we've been tracking for a long time. In fact, we thought that we had already got him last summer."

Skriniar may have already played his final game for Inter after his sending off against Empoli on Monday, with that 1-0 loss leaving Inter 13 points behind runaway leaders Napoli.

Italy will be "hungry for revenge" following their World Cup absence when they meet Spain at the Nations League Finals in June, Roberto Mancini's assistant Alberico Evani has told Stats Perform.

The European champions missed out on a second consecutive edition of the global tournament last year after falling to a shock qualification play-off defeat against North Macedonia in March.

However, the Azzurri bounced back to top a competitive Nations League group containing Hungary, Germany and England as they qualified for the competition's final four for the second edition in a row.

Italy will face Spain – who beat them in the 2021 semi-finals at San Siro – on June 15 following Wednesday's draw, while hosts Netherlands will meet Croatia.

Evani, who was a World Cup runner-up as a player in 1994 before joining Mancini's backroom team in 2018, knows Spain will be tough opponents but hopes Italy can prove a point.

"We've struggled against them in the past because of their style of play," Evani said of the threat posed by La Roja. 

"We would have preferred to avoid them, but it's also nice to have to play against them, as we can see if we have improved. 

"We are the only two teams who reached the final four in the last two consecutive editions. Let's see if we can change the result. 

"We are hungry for revenge and to take back what we have left in London two years ago [when winning the delayed Euro 2020]. 

"We have the skills to do it and we are doing all we can to be competitive again, we are working to be in the best possible conditions in June."

Mancini recently called for coaches to be braver in giving top-level experience to young Italian players, something Evani is also keen to see. 

"We had a camp right before Christmas and we called up all these young players. There is a lot of quality, they are interesting players with big futures ahead of them," he said.

"We hope their respective clubs will let them play more and more so they can gain the right experience. We have the talents, I think the future is bright."

Evani was speaking less than a week after Serie A giants Juventus were issued with a 15-point deduction following an investigation into the club's past transfer dealings.

Italy won the 2006 World Cup amid investigations that saw several of Serie A's top clubs punished in the aftermath of the Calciopoli scandal, and Evani hopes the Azzurri can again find motivation from a crisis affecting the country's domestic league.

"Our country always find strength in hardships," he said. "We didn't qualify for the World Cup and we now have this issue with the entire Italian football system. Who knows, we might be able to find the right boost to reach new heights."

Ronald Koeman believes Cody Gakpo has a "great future" and made the right choice in signing for Liverpool.

After impressing at the World Cup, Gakpo joined Liverpool from PSV last month, with the Reds reportedly paying an initial £37million (€42m).

Since the start of last season until his move to Anfield, no player had more goal involvements in the Eredivisie than Gakpo's 46 (21 goals, 25 assists). Indeed, no other player in Europe's top 10 leagues tallied at least 20 goals and 20 assists over the same timeframe.

However, after four games – all starts – for Liverpool, Gakpo is yet to score or set up a goal. He has had 12 shots, with three hitting the target, and only 18 touches in the opposition penalty area.

While it has been a slow start for the 23-year-old, new Netherlands coach Koeman, back in charge for a second time, is confident Gakpo will develop into a top player.

"I think it's important that he's playing and that's really important for a young kid like Gakpo, [to be] struggling," Koeman told Stats Perform at the Nations League Finals draw, with the Oranje, who are hosts for the mini-tournament in June, having been pitted against Croatia in the semi-finals.

"It's difficult because Liverpool is not in the last few months at that [high] level. That's always difficult for a new signing, to come in during the season.

"You have to give him that time to develop and to adapt to the Premier League because it's a different level.

"The intensity is much higher than he used to play in Holland but he's young and he will learn and he will be better. But he has a great future."

As the Netherlands look beyond the Nations League Finals and towards Euro 2024, Koeman will be hoping to build on a young core of players.

"We have a great history, we have always creating good young talent and let's hope that they will develop as star players, and that will be really important for the national team," he added.

The Netherlands lost to Portugal in the final of the inaugural Nations League in 2019, and Koeman is hoping to make home advantage count this time around.

"We are looking forward, we play at home," he said. 

"We saw Croatia during the World Cup and they're a really experienced football team.

"It's an extra [boost] that we play in front of our crowd in Holland. We know what the difficulty is when you play away.

"We have that experience in 2019 against Portugal in the final that we lost 1-0. Let's hope that the crowd will push the team."

Arsenal should be labelled as favourites in the north London derby, but Harry Redknapp says Harry Kane will always give his old team Tottenham a fighting chance.

Premier League leaders Arsenal make the short trip across the capital to face their rivals on Sunday.

A 3-0 defeat to Antonio Conte's team in the corresponding fixture last season was the start of Arsenal's capitulation in the run-in, which saw them miss out on the Champions League.

Yet Mikel Arteta's side are flying high this term and, having beat Spurs 3-1 in October, Arsenal are looking to complete their first league double over their rivals since 2013-14, which was also their last league victory away at Tottenham.

Former Spurs manager Redknapp believes Arsenal have the edge, but is confident Kane – the highest-scoring player in north London derby history with 14 goals – will take an opportunity if it comes his way.

"At the moment, you'd have to fancy Arsenal, to be honest, they look so good," Redknapp told Stats Perform.

"They're so full of confidence. I love the way they're playing. I think they've got some real quality players, but when you've got Harry Kane in your team, you've always got a chance, you've got a puncher's chance.

"They might get outplayed for long periods of a game but Kane can land a knockout blow anytime. So I wouldn't write Tottenham off by any means. I think it'll be a tight game."

Kane has scored in all but one of his eight league home games against Arsenal, only failing to find the net in a July 2020 clash, when the competition restarted behind closed doors during the coronavirus pandemic.

The 29-year-old has scored 198 Premier League goals and is just one strike away from matching Jimmy Greaves' record of 266 goals for Tottenham.

Only Erling Haaland (21) has scored more Premier League goals than Kane (15) this season, with the Spurs talisman having far over performed his expected goals of 10.5.

Wayne Rooney (208) and Alan Shearer (260) are the only players to have scored more Premier League goals than Kane, who Redknapp believes is the cream of the crop.

"Oh without a doubt, yeah," Redknapp said when asked if Kane will break the competition's goalscoring record.

"I think he'll smash it to pieces. Harry's just an amazing player, he's the best centre forward in the world in my opinion.

"He's right up there isn't he? Shearer you know how far do you go back you know, but you know, he's up there with the very, very best isn't he?

"The great Jimmy Greaves was a different type of player, Jimmy was a fantastic footballer. Genius. But Harry is just amazing. For me, he's the best all-round centre forward, he can do everything. The complete player.

"There's nothing he doesn't do. Team player. Great guy, not a problem. Perfect professional."

Harry Redknapp has backed Graham Potter to be a success at Chelsea once the former Brighton and Hove Albion boss has his best players available.

Potter is enduring a difficult time at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea having lost six of their past eight games.

The Blues have won just once during that poor run, beating Premier League strugglers Bournemouth 2-0 at home on December 27.

Sunday's 4-0 defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup served up a stark example of the gulf between 10th-placed Chelsea and teams battling for the title, yet Redknapp insists Potter, who replaced Thomas Tuchel in September, simply needs time to get to work.

Chelsea's injury list is a long one, with Reece James, Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana, Christian Pulisic, N'Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Edouard Mendy the first-team regulars out of action.

"You can't sack the lad can you, he's not been there 10 minutes – he's got a million injuries you know, you've got injuries galore, both his full-backs, Chilwell, James, important players, Fofana came in unfit, they've got lots of injuries," Redknapp told Stats Perform.

"They have still got a very, very strong squad. They've spent money like it's going out of fashion but he needs time. He's only as good as your players at the moment – it's not rocket science. People seem to think you go in and show them how to play football. It doesn't work like that.

"At the moment, he's got his best players missing and they're struggling to win. When they get back in the team, you'll see a massive improvement."

Chelsea have been active in the January transfer window, signing four players already, while they are also eager to land Benfica's World Cup star Enzo Fernandez.

While that transfer appears to be on ice for now, the Blues confirmed the loan signing of Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

Redknapp does not think more signings are necessarily a silver bullet, however.

He said: "They've got enough players, they just need those back from injury – they need James back, they need Chilwell back. There's no reason they can't go on a run."

Potter has won eight of his 18 games in charge at Chelsea (44.4 per cent), and Redknapp says it would be foolish for the club to show him the door.

"Five years – you just gave him a five-year contract, you can't very well bring him in, give him a five-year contract and then sack him, surely to God," Redknapp said.

"I know they've done it before, Chelsea, that is the way they've worked. Managers who've won the Champions League and then they've been sacked a couple of games later, it happens. But I don't see that happening this time."