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Wolverhampton Wanderers defeated in-form Aston Villa 1-0 this afternoon as they virtually secured their Premier League status for another season.

The Old Gold had secured some impressive wins over the previous month, but a 6-0 loss against Brighton and Hove Albion seemed to knock the stuffing out of the side, and Julen Lopetegui was aiming to bounce back today.

The Spaniard brought in Toti Gomes as he replaced Hugo Bueno, and it turned out to be a match-winning decision, as the defender scored a header from a corner during the first ten minutes which ended up as the only goal.

Both teams had chances throughout, yet Wolves’ resolute defending was integral to the overall performance, and they now sit on 40 points, ten clear of the drop zone.

Toti was a worthwhile inclusion, and his Sofascore rating of 7.6/10 was the highest of any outfield player in the starting XI. Aside from scoring the winner, he was a rock at the back, winning five of his ground duels, making three tackles and three clearances, while taking 40 touches, suggesting he looked to get on the ball regularly.

However, it was forward Matheus Cunha who was Lopetegui’s true hero on the day as he starred alongside Diego Costa.

How did Matheus Cunha perform against Aston Villa?

The Brazilian was excellent against Villa, looking lively throughout as the Molineux outfit looked to secure a vital win, and he was a key part of this success.

His 7.4/10 Sofascore rating ranked him as the joint-second-best outfield player after Toti and alongside Matheus Nunes, and although he didn’t score, his overall contribution was solid.

The forward had two shots during the tie and succeeded with all six of his attempted dribbles, as the Villa defence struggled to keep tabs on him during his time on the pitch.

He did complete just nine passes, yet he more than made up for this with his defensive output, chipping in when it mattered most. Cunha won nine ground duels, made two tackles and interceptions as well as one clearance, as he demonstrated his physical attributes to wonderful effect.

It was a display that Loeptegui would have hoped for pre-match and the striker certainly delivered. Securing their top-flight status ahead of next season could be crucial in terms of luring more players of Cunha’s quality to the Midlands ahead of 2023/24, and the manager has turned their fortunes around massively since taking over just before Christmas.

Newcastle United would need to underperform majorly in their remaining fixtures to miss out on finishing in the Premier League top four, according to journalist Keith Downie.

What's the latest news involving Newcastle United?

Newcastle United sit in a commanding position in the race for the Champions League slots, having accumulated 65 points from their 33 Premier League matches and sit six clear of Liverpool in fifth place, having played a game less than Jurgen Klopp's men.

Last Sunday, the Magpies had to come from a goal down against Southampton at St James' Park, with a double from Callum Wilson and an own goal from Theo Walcott securing three points for the home side, as per BBC Sport.

Eddie Howe's men find themselves in blistering goalscoring form, having netted 13 times from their last three fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and relegation-threatened Southampton.

In light of his side's recent form, Howe has also been nominated for the Premier League Manager of the Month award for April alongside Unai Emery, Roy Hodgson, Pep Guardiola and Gary O'Neil, as cited by Chronicle Live.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Downie believes that the Toon Army's convincing victory over Southampton has put them in pole position to clinch a top-four place.

Downie told FFC: "I mean, I don't see anyone usurping them now, I really don't. You're talking about a team who have only lost four league games all season and I think, by my reckoning, they would need to lose three or four for there to be a chance and even then, you'd be relying on either Liverpool or Spurs or Villa winning all their games.

I feel Newcastle are riding on the crest of a wave. They're so strong at the moment that I can't see them losing that many games irrespective of what the other teams do. I said before the Spurs game, this feels like a shootout for the top four and if Newcastle win it, I firmly believe they'll be playing Champions League football next season, which I can't believe I'm saying to be honest, but I never envisaged them winning by such a big margin as what they did."

Can Newcastle United get Champions League qualification over the line?

It's looking pretty likely at this point, though Newcastle United do have some tricky opponents still to face in their last five Premier League matches.

The Magpies have still to take on Arsenal, Leeds United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Leicester City and Chelsea before the close of play, with all having something tangible to compete for except for Chelsea, who languish in the bottom half of the table.

Nevertheless, Newcastle United are in a confident mood and would fancy themselves against most sides in the top-flight right now and they will likely go full throttle to ensure they finish the season with a flourish.

If Howe can deliver a top-four finish at St James' Park this term, he would surely be in the conversation for the Premier League Manager of the Season award if he can get the Magpies over the line.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly already looking to the summer transfer window for squad improvements.

As the 2022/23 season comes to a close, Julen Lopetegui will have the chance to make changes to his team as the transfer window approaches.

When the Spaniard took over from Bruno Lage, Wolves were bottom of the league and in a dire run of form, but with safety confirmed, the former Real Madrid boss is engaging in transfer talk to bolster the club’s squad.

A host of forwards have been identified as potential suitors to Molineux, including Barcelona ace Ansu Fati, in the bid to end the club's goal-scoring woes.

The attack isn’t the only thing Lopetegui hopes to rebuild, but the defence also is an area for improvement with Wolves on average conceding 1.43 goals per match.

There is hope in that department, as news emerging from 90min has revealed that the club are monitoring RC Lens defender Kevin Danso.

What’s the latest on Kevin Danso to Wolves?

The 24-year-old centre-back is a familiar name to some with knowledge of the Premier League, having made six appearances in the league for Southampton in the 2019/20 campaign.

Since his departure from the South Coast, the Austrian has been a key member of the Lens squad battling in Ligue 1 in a competition full of stars.

As reported by 90min, the centre-back has been the subject of heavy scouting from a number of Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Wolves.

Scouts from the club were reportedly in attendance to watch Lens trio Danso, Seko Fofana and Lois Openda, who have been star performers this season.

What could Kevin Danso bring to Wolves?

At 6 foot 3, the commanding centre-back has been praised to be a "colossus" by Bundesliga marksman Timo Werner, relating to his time at Augsburg.

With Max Kilman impressing at centre-back, the natural progression for the defence would be to find a suitable long-term partner for the 25-year-old as his current partner Craig Dawson draws nearer the end of his career at 33 years of age.

As per FBref – Danso ranks better than the Premier League veteran in a range of areas this season, including winning aerial duels – 2.22 to Dawson’s 2.07 per game – and maintains a consistently high rate of successful passing – 89.9% to Dawson’s 82.4%.

The £17m-rated defender has a Sofascore average match rating of 7.11, as well as ranking as the fourth-highest Lens performer this season, showing his consistency at the top level.

With a number of clubs hoping to snatch the 24-year-old’s signature in the summer, Lopetegui remains in the race to bring what would be a large upgrade on Dawson to the club.

There could be a Manchester City return for Joao Cancelo on the horizon, with Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg reporting that Bayern Munich are finding it "difficult" to get a deal done for the defender.

Where is Joao Cancelo?

Pep Guardiola's side utilised the Portugal international plenty of times when he first completed a switch to the Etihad Stadium, giving him 17 Premier League outings in the campaign when he first arrived. Cancelo then went on to play a further 28 times with five goal contributions a campaign later before really making his mark in the 2021/22 season.

That year, the defender was a first-team regular and made 36 appearances for the club in the league with seven assists and one goal. Despite that form, he was in and out of the City first-team from that point onwards and was ultimately shipped off to current club Bayern Munich on loan. That didn't stop him from being named in the FIFPro World Eleven though for his showings throughout 2022.

Since his move to the Bundesliga, he has once more managed to produce in terms of his assists (4) but has still only earned ten starts for the German giants. However, with the 28-year-old proving to be a useful option, they might have hoped to land the player permanently beyond this campaign. With City adding in a buy option on the deal, it makes it even more possible that it could happen.

How much is Cancelo worth?

However, a fresh report from Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg has revealed that Bayern may find it "difficult" to get a permanent deal done for Cancelo. A buy clause is reportedly set at 70 million Euros (£60m) but that the Bundesliga side may still struggle to finalise an agreement.

"News Cancelo: Been told that it‘s very difficult to sign him permanently. Even Cancelo himself does not expect to play for Bayern beyond the end of the season. Tendency at this stage: He will leave Bayern in summer but the bosses are trying to find a solution. Option to buy: €70m (£60m)."

The Premier League side do have options on both flanks currently but when Cancelo was at his peak at the Etihad Stadium, he was hard for opposition players to deal with.

Even before the player was shipped off to Bayern Munich he impressed in England. Despite having to work with just a handful of games, he still produced a 7.04 rating on WhoScored and still managed to bag himself two goals and one assist along the way. At his very peak for City during that 2021/22 campaign, he managed a 7.42 rating – an incredible tally for a player who produced both offensively and defensively for the side.

If City were to get Cancelo back onside then and fit him into their team, they would undoubtedly be stronger for it. Bayern though will most certainly want to try and keep the 28-year-old if they can.

Darwin Nunez may not succeed at Liverpool because he is not clinical enough in front of goal, Tony Cascarino has claimed.

What did Cascarino say about Nunez?

The Uruguayan forward joined Liverpool for a club-record £85m in the summer, and has scored 15 goals across 42 appearances in all competitions.

He has received mixed reviews since his move from Benfica, and has been benched in recent weeks with Luiz Diaz and Cody Gakpo often preferred.

Speaking on TalkSPORT, Cascarino claimed that Nunez's poor finishing ability could stop him from succeeding at Anfield.

"I'm not sure about Nunez, I don't know if he's going to be one of those strikers that misses too many chances, and it's just a common Groundhog Day," he stated.

"I think Liverpool fans definitely are behind Nunez a lot because he's a typical exciting player that Liverpool fans love to see. Unfortunately, it just looks he's not going to be clinical enough."

Is Nunez's finishing a problem?

The 23-year-old ranks second in the league for shot totals per 90 minutes as per Fotmob, just behind Julio Enciso of Brighton, highlighting his strong ability to find space in attacking areas to shoot.

Because he takes a lot of shots, he may still be able to provide a lot of goals over the course of a season, in a team which creates a lot of chances.

The £140k-per-week star ranks second in the league for big chances missed, with 20 this season. However, given that top scorer Erling Haaland ranks above him for the same statistic, it highlights that any problem with Nunez's output may be related to chance creation.

Strikers such as Nunez and Haaland, who excel at finding chances in the box, may miss a lot of chances over the course of a season. The difference between both in terms of output can be attributed to the different levels of performance from their respective sides.

Manchester City top the league for big chances created, with 101 in 36 games this season, whilst Liverpool are third with 78.

Nunez has had a fairly difficult first season, with Liverpool suffering a large drop-off in performance levels from their last campaign which saw them compete for a quadruple, and with the side struggling to function properly, Nunez's missed chances have proven to be something of a frustration.

If Liverpool as a whole can get back to their best next season, and create more chances, then Nunez may be able to contribute more in front of goal.

Glasgow Rangers are believed to be interested in bringing Lausanne-Sport left-back Archie Brown to Ibrox this summer, according to a fresh update.

Do Rangers need defensive additions?

Michael Beale's side have had a solid season overall, but ultimately, they have fallen short in every competition they have played in. Unfortunately, rivals Celtic not only pipped the Gers to Scottish Premiership title glory, but also beat them in the Scottish Cup semi-finals and Scottish League Cup final.

It is a further sign that Rangers need to go up a gear next season, in order to close the gap between themselves and the Hoops, with new signings vital to making that happen.

Additions are needed in various areas of the pitch and left-back is a position that could certainly be added to, in order to increase the competition for places, and keeping the likes of Borna Barisic and Ridvan Yilmaz on their toes. The former is out of contract in 2024, so he could even depart this summer, leaving a void in the process.

A new update suggests that the Gers may have a potential candidate to come in this summer.

Could Rangers snap up Brown this summer?

According to The Scottish Daily Mail [via Ibrox News], Rangers are eyeing a move for Brown at the end of the season, with the deal possibly costing more than £2m.

"Rangers have placed Lausanne’s highly-rated left-back Archie Brown on a list of potential signings. Turning 21 this weekend, the 6ft 3in defender has claimed five goals and five assists and has played first-team football as both a left-sided centre-half and a left full-back.

"Up for grabs for a fee in excess of £2million this summer, FC Copenhagen have shown an interest along with clubs across Europe. First-choice Borna Barisic is poised for talks with Micheal Beale over his future this summer, with his current deal entering its final 12 months."

Brown could be an exciting young addition at Ibrox in the summer transfer window, with the 20-year-old joining Swiss side Lausanne from Derby County back in 2021, making 39 appearances so far, and scoring five goals and registering four assists.

While he may not necessarily come in as an immediate starter, the left-footed defender is someone who could be viewed as both a strong squad addition and a future regular, assuming he continues to develop.

He registered 19 goal contributions (11 goals and eight assists) in 36 U18s Premier League games for Derby, highlighting his attacking pedigree from left-back, and he could benefit from working under a coach of Beale's quality.

Newcastle United are in a fantastic position to cement their stature as one of Europe's elite after forging a remarkable campaign under Eddie Howe's stewardship, qualifying for the Champions League and reaching the Carabao Cup final.

It's a drastic improvement on the club's efforts in recent history, having failed to reach the top half of the Premier League across the past four seasons and last qualifying for Europe over a decade ago.

The PIF takeover in October 2021 has injected affluence unseen by all but a select few top footballing outfits, and the forthcoming summer transfer window will be imperative to bolster the ranks with first-rate additions, with Howe stating that 'elite' arrivals are imminent.

While the return of European competition will ostensibly provide greater opportunity for peripheral figures at St. James' Park, there are certain figures that will find their bit-part role in the squad only diminished with the expanding calibre of the Tyneside team, one of which being Jamal Lewis.

Should Newcastle sell Jamal Lewis?

Lewis is one ace who will likely be at the epicentre of the summer transition; with the likes of Kieran Tierney and Raphael Guerreiro targetted, it is clear that Newcastle are seeking fresh faces to fortify the defensive left flank.

Signing from Norwich City for £15m in 2020, Lewis has only made 36 appearances and clinched one assist, with 26 of those displays coming in his first term.

Described as "rusty" by Craig Hope during one of his scant opportunities to impress this season, during Newcastle's FA Cup defeat against League One Sheffield Wednesday, it is increasingly hard to believe that Howe will provide a player who has made just eight appearances under his wing.

As per Sofascore, the £38k-per-week defender recorded a dismal average rating of 6.46 in the top-flight last term, making just four starts, and 6.48 the previous campaign, where he enjoyed more frequency on the pitch and started 20 matches.

The 25-year-old was once a highly-rated prospect, emerging as an exciting, marauding full-back with the Canaries and forging 100 outings – scoring two goals and registering four assists – after rising through the club's youth academy.

He was integral in guiding his team to the Premier League and playing a central role in their 19/20 top-flight season, where he made an average of two clearances and 1.8 tackles per match and completed 79% of his passes, impressive despite suffering relegation back to the second tier.

And with Dan Burn, who is naturally a centre-back, entrusted with deployment in Lewis' position in an unorthodox role, the chances of the 30-cap Northern Ireland international flourishing at the club are indeed slight.

It simply hasn't worked out, and Lewis must be ditched this summer to end his misery on Tyneside and open up space for technical director Dan Ashworth to sign a first-rate new defender to enrich the Toon's burgeoning squad.

Erik ten Hag is looking to strengthen Manchester United’s attacking options during the summer transfer window, and Bundesliga forward Randal Kolo Muani has been eyed as a potential addition.

What’s the latest on Randal Kolo Muani to Manchester United?

The Red Devils are actually interested in both Rasmus Hojlund and Kolo Muani according to the Athletics’ Laurie Whitwell, who Tweeted:

“Erik ten Hag ideally wants a young forward plus an experienced one. Hojlund, 20, falls into former category. Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani also discussed.”

The Frenchman won't come cheap however, with Eintracht Frankfurt's CEO Axel Hallmann insisting that the striker is worth more than €90m (£78m) in the current market and this could perhaps be a challenge for the Dutchman, especially as he aims to bolster other areas of his team too.

What is Randal Kolo Muani’s style of play?

According to WhoScored, the versatile 24-year-old likes to dribble and can cut inside, while he can also play across the front three. He is predominantly a centre-forward, one capable of using his finishing skills to devastating effect.

Indeed, this season, the Frankfurt frontman has scored 23 goals and registered 17 assists across 45 appearances in all competitions, playing 43 of those games as a striker and Ten Hag could certainly form a deadly duo with him and Marcus Rashford next term.

Ten Hag has deployed the Englishman on the left wing for 31 games during the 2022/23 campaign, and he has been rewarded handsomely with 16 goals and six assists, with the 25-year-old registering 41 goal contributions overall from 55 matches, being revitalised by the Dutchman after grabbing just seven goal contributions the season before.

Rashford ranked first for successful dribbles (1.5 per game), third for assists (five) and ninth for key passes (0.9 per game) in the whole United squad in the league, and his ability to drive past opponents and set up opportunities for his teammates could allow Kolo Muani to thrive, considering that he would be receiving excellent service.

Ten Hag's current underperforming centre-forwards of Anthony Martial and Wout Weghorst have both failed to score over ten goals during 2022/23 and this is an area that must be strengthened in order to lead the Old Trafford side to more glory, so signing Kolo Muani would be an excellent move.

Journalist Zach Lowy praised him following the 2022 World Cup, saying: “He’s left a positive impression on this tournament and at 24, he’s only going to improve. Top-class talent.”

If Ten Hag manages his development well, the Frankfurt player could become a big hit with the United faithful, given the evidence above. Just imagine his potential partnership with Rashford, heading into the new campaign.

Chelsea's extortionate spending has created an unbalanced and demoralised squad that has seen the club at its lowest point since the turn of the century.

The amount of players is unmanageable and some have been brought in for ridiculous figures and have dramatically failed to repay their fees.

The Blues need to adopt a more meticulous and calculated transfer policy, spending lower sums on more quality players.

In recent times, the West London outfit has been linked with Benjamin Pavard, and securing his signature would be a notable step in the right direction for incoming boss Mauricio Pochettino.

What’s the latest on Benjamin Pavard to Chelsea?

Last month, it was first reported by BILD’s Christian Falk that the 2021 Champions League winners were interested in the Bayern Munich man.

This was followed up by a tweet by Fabrizio Romano, which confirmed that the Frenchman will not sign a new deal at his current club and wants to start a new chapter in his career.

Florian Plettenberg of Sky Germany has since gone on to reveal that a fee of €40m (£34m) may be required to convince the Bavarian Giants to sanction his departure.

Pavard’s contract expires in 2024, so Bayern may be forced into his sale this summer to avoid losing him on a free next year.

How would Benjamin Pavard fit in at Chelsea?

The former Stuttgart star has made 30 Bundesliga appearances and averaged 2.3 tackles, 2.5 clearances, and 1.5 interceptions as he secured his fourth-straight league title.

Described as “outstanding” by Uli Hoenes, the 27-year-old also excels outside of Germany, as he ranks in the top 7% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for tackles per 90, as well as the best 17% for interceptions per 90, according to FBref.

Coupled with his obvious defensive acumen, the 2018 World Cup winner is also a force going forward, sitting within the best 3% for progressive passes, total shots, shot-creating actions, and non-penalty goals per 90.

His solidity, offensive threat, and his ability to appear across the backline means he has drawn comparisons to Chelsea legend Branislav Ivanovic.

The aforementioned duo both regularly appeared at centre-back or full-back, and their functionality means they are two of the most underrated players in each of their generations.

This trait goes under the radar as functional players make the game look so easy and this versatility is invaluable for any manager.

Nine years, 337 appearances, 34 goals, and ten trophies later – Ivanovic is a Premier League legend, lauded for his consistency, productivity, mentality, and reliability.

Pavard mirrors this set of imperious qualities and being available for such a modest fee, it makes complete sense for Chelsea to make a move.

With Sean Dyche taking the helm at Everton in January and preserving the endangered Premier League outfit's top-flight status, there is renewed optimism that greener pastures could be found over the coming seasons.

Everton escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth, Abdoulaye Doucoure scoring a thumping strike to secure an invaluable, season-saving victory over Bournemouth on the final day of the campaign, and the requisite moves to veer away from danger must now be made.

Addressing the frontal problems is surely the first port of call for the former Burnley manager, with Neal Maupay scoring once all year since signing last summer and talisman Dominic Calvert-Lewin spending yet another campaign riddled with injury issues.

And the answer could come in the form of Moussa Dembele, with Fabrizio Romano stating that the French talisman is attracting Dyche's attention this summer upon the expiry of his contract with Lyon.

The Merseyside outfit are certainly not alone in their pursuit, however, with Galatasaray and several affluent Saudi clubs all gunning for his signature – but the allure of the Premier League and the role of offensive focal point could well sway the odds in the Blues' favour.

Should Everton sign Moussa Dembele?

Despite not enjoying the most auspicious of terms with his French Ligue 1 outfit, Dembele boasts an impressive goal record throughout his career and there is no reason why he cannot rekindle his prolific edge on Merseyside.

Still only 26-years-old, the Frenchman has posted 70 goals and 19 assists from 172 appearances with Les Gones, previously hailed as "unplayable" by former Celtic teammate Leigh Griffiths.

The £53k-per-week ace only scored three goals this year, starting in the league only eight times, but plundered 21, 15, and 16-goal returns over three of his past four Ligue 1 seasons – certainly unplayable numbers – and remains a fierce forward yearning for a fresh start.

Once dubbed an "exceptional" talent by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, the former France U21 international could look to replicate the success of his compatriot Amadou Onana in joining the club from Ligue 1 and glittering with his performances.

Signing for £33m from Lille one year ago, the 21-year-old midfielder has been "superb" – as stated by Richard Buxton – on English shores despite his club's woes.

Indeed, he averaged 2.4 tackles and 1.1 interceptions in the Premier League, as per Sofascore, impressing so much that he is now earning £55m interest from the likes of Chelsea. Such a successful transfer from France could well provide Dembele with the iron-clad assurance he needs to be a free-firing success with the Toffees.

With a license to forge a prominent attacking role in Dyche's team, Dembele could become a "scoring machine" once again, as he was once called by L'Equipe's Bertrand Latour, and emulate the success of his countryman Onana in entering the fold at Goodison Park and flourishing.