Mohamed Salah
January 2026
Salah’s latest league start ended in defeat, leaving him on the losing side in seven of his last eight Premier League starts, matching a negative Liverpool record previously associated with Kuyt. Salah returned from the Africa Cup of Nations and started immediately, but Liverpool lost again as their domestic form continued to slide, worsening pressure on Slot’s title defence.
Bukayo Saka
January 2026
KSI said Saka is Arsenal’s most important player and argued Gyokeres still improves the team despite modest scoring numbers since his move. He claimed Gyokeres functions as a “magnet” that draws defenders and creates space for Saka, Trossard, and Odegaard, so Arsenal look better with him on the pitch.
Pep Guardiola
January 2026
Guardiola implied some City players are not fully committed to playing through minor issues, citing Cruyff’s view that players who do not want to be injured generally are not, while listing multiple absences for the Galatasaray game. He referenced the club’s medical staff, then suggested mindset matters beyond bad luck. He confirmed several injured players will miss the Champions League tie, with January signings also ineligible.
Endrick
January 2026
Real Madrid loanee Endrick scored a hat-trick in Lyon’s 5-2 win over Metz, continuing a strong start in France after limited chances in Madrid. He opened scoring early, added a second in first-half stoppage time, and completed the hat-trick with a late penalty. The report frames the loan as a reset after Endrick’s lack of minutes under Alonso and a long Madrid goal drought since April 2025.
Matheus Cunha
January 2026
Cunha may be at risk of retrospective discipline after appearing to shout explicit language directly into a TV camera following his winning goal. Reports say the language was clearly heard on broadcast and commentators issued an apology for bad language. FA rules allow action for abusive or insulting language or gestures, including retroactive punishment when incidents are caught on camera.
Patrick Vieira
January 2026
Vieira said Arsenal showed questionable mental strength and lacked leaders in a damaging 3-2 home loss to Manchester United, also criticising Saka and Trossard for not creating enough danger. Arsenal’s January league form included a win over Bournemouth then draws with Liverpool and Nottingham Forest before losing to United. Vieira said the team needs someone to lift spirit, increase energy, and take more risks to match their quality.
Harry Maguire
January 2026
Maguire praised Carrick for bringing fresh energy after United followed up a 2-0 derby win over Manchester City with a 3-2 victory over Arsenal, giving Carrick six points from six. United’s goals came from Bryan Mbeumo, Patrick Dorgu, and a late winner by Cunha. Arsenal suffered their first home league defeat of the season and their lead at the top was cut to four points. Carrick said the group is still building and needs to add layers in coming weeks.
Ricardo Pepi
January 2026
Fulham have reportedly submitted a new $38 million bid for Pepi after a previous $35 million offer was rejected, with PSV still indicating they want to keep the striker despite Pepi recently suffering an arm injury. Pepi has been tracked by Premier League clubs for some time. A prior $20.7 million bid last season collapsed after a knee injury ended hopes of a January 2025 move. PSV have so far resisted selling.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
January 2026
Carrick said Solskjaer contacted him to congratulate him after United chose Carrick over Solskjaer following Amorim’s dismissal. United were reported to have considered bringing Solskjaer back, but opted for Carrick, who then started with a 2-0 win over Manchester City and reiterated his focus on raising standards and uniting players and fans.
Xabi Alonso
January 2026
A report says Liverpool have made a first approach to Alonso as they consider future managerial options, with Slot still in charge but under scrutiny during an inconsistent title defence. The claim is that Liverpool sounded out Alonso’s interest, with the coach currently available after leaving Real Madrid. Despite a short spell in Madrid, his reputation remains strong from his Leverkusen success, and the report suggests Liverpool view him as a near-future option, possibly for 2026-27.
